I Told You
by maryl
Summary: Chuck and Blair had been playing games for years, and at times each had felt the thrill of winning and the crushing pain of loss. Now Blair needs something from Chuck. Will this be the end of their games? AU.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, everybody! How are you doing? I'm still a frakking mess thanks to a combo of spoilers and previews. Gawd. I just want to pull the band-aid and get whatever happens over with. Now, for my new multi-chaptered Chair fic… It's AU. Chuck and Blair are in their late twenties, and this chapter is a little vague because it's the setup chapter and more will be revealed as we go. Here we go…

Blair stood in the elevator watching the numbers count up as she headed towards her own personal hell. She was dressed to perfection with not a square inch of skin revealed below her jaw line. It was her own personal suit of armor, and she needed it for what was to come. She needed to show no weakness, even while she might be driven to begging. He'd enjoy that too much.

The doors opened to the top floor that held nothing but his offices. It was late, past ten, and while the main reception was empty, she could still hear people milling about as she walked down the long central corridor towards his personal office. She almost wished some lackey would stop her, come out and tell her she wasn't supposed to be here, but fate just wasn't on her side lately, leaving her with this man as her last resort. Without a pause, she opened his door and walked in, taking a seat in one of the high backed leather chairs that sat before his massive desk. She placed her purse neatly in her lap, her legs crossed at the ankles, folder her hands neatly in front of her, and then she waited.

He sat behind his desk as if he had been waiting for her, and knowing what an ass he was, that's probably exactly what he had been doing. He slouched low in his chair one elbow on the armrest, with his head propped in his has as he contemplated her. He held silent, and so did she, each wanting the other to make the first move. Blair broke first. She had more, if not everything riding on this conversation, whereas he had nothing to lose. Blair hated being in that position because it left her close to zero bargaining power.

"You have to know why I'm here."

He gave a minuscule nod. "You do so command the front page…"

"Then I won't mince words. I've take all legal action, I've exhausted every resource I have, and I can't fine him."

"I told you not to marry him…"

"And I told you, you have no right to tell me what to do. You never wanted it, so you never had it." Blair said coldly.

Chuck leaned forward, his head cocking to the side. "And yet you're here, asking me for help…"

"He took my son."

"So I heard…"

"I want him back, and I'll do anything to make that happen." She paused, looking Chuck dead in the eye. "Anything."

Chuck inhaled deeply and fell back in the chair with an air of satisfaction that made a near snarl curve Blair's lip. "Just spit it out, Bass. What do you want?"

"You."

"Shocker."

"Perhaps I should be more succinct. I want you in my home, in my bed, with my ring on your finger."

"No…" She said, slightly shaking her head. It was too much. Chuck being Chuck, she had expected that his compliance would involve her performing any number of sexual favours on him, but he couldn't be proposing something as vile as this. "You can't mean…"

"I've never known you to be dense, Waldorf, but I'll spell it out to be clear. I remember a younger version of you telling me how important family was, and at this stage I'm inclined to agree. I wouldn't help an old friend out with something that was so time consuming and at such a financial cost to myself… However, for my wife… I would do whatever it took to bring her son home."

"I don't buy it. What's in this for you?"

"How sad that you believe you've so decreased in value that you as my wife wouldn't be price enough…" He mocked her, his gaze sliding over her. "But… I have to say, given your position in society and sterling reputation, as far as everyone else knows… Having you as my wife would pave the way with a few nervous share holders for me to merge my empire with Bass Industries."

Blair rolled her eyes and scoffed. "So your manwhore ways are holding you up from finally getting your hands on your Daddy's company… How tragic."

"Now, now… Mrs. Bass… You would benefit from that too…"

"I'm not marrying you, Chuck. Too much has happened." She bit out.

"I'm sorry… you seem to have had a memory lapse… I believe you said anything, and my idea of anything is you, as my wife." He looked at her and saw the war inside of her. He could practically see her wheels turning as she tried to come up with any other resource of getting her son back.

With rage in her heart she got up and stormed out of his office, but she didn't go far. She struck the lamp off his secretary's desk, and began to rapidly pace the length of his personal reception area.

He sat there listening to her quick steps pace outside his door. He hadn't been completely honest, but when was he ever completely honest? It would definitely smooth the way of his takeover of Bass Industries, but that was a minor bonus. He also had started putting the search for her son in motion the moment he'd read about his disappearance in the paper. He would have found him for her anyway, but why bother letting her in on that fact? This deal would give him everything he wanted. Blair Waldorf, totally under his power, his control, and on his own terms.

She hated him. She hated her ex-husband. She hated the whole situation that put her in this place where she had no other option than this. These were the thoughts that roared through her head, until one image stopped them all. His face; her little boy's face that she hadn't seen in nearly two weeks. She knew Chuck was her only remaining option, and also the only one that had a hope of being successful.

She marched back into his office, and she was quick to notice his chair was now spun away from her. She imagined that he stared out over the city they both loved, and felt like its and her master tonight. This was driven home to her as she saw the small velvet jewelry box laid purposely out in the centre of the desk.

She barely paused to look at the large, vintage diamond engagement ring, before she shoved it onto her left ring finger and threw the empty box back onto the desk. Not wanting to see his gloating ass of a face, she turned on her heel and headed for the door. His words halted her bare seconds before she could make her escape.

"You'll hear from me soon."

She paused looking over her shoulder to find him now turned to face her. Their eyes met and the weight of their past, and everything they knew and didn't know nearly choked them, but the cat and mouse game was now over. Chuck Bass had well and truly caught Blair Waldorf this time.

TahDAH! Okay this chapter was admittedly short. Some of you who have read my stuff before would probably point out that all my chapters are short, but what are you going to do? That's my style? Also… once again, this is an AU story. Their history is very much the same as the show… probably up to the whole Jack and the Empire deal, but I'll flush that out as we go. After that though I'm taking their life a little differently, and will explain a lot of what has happened between them over the past ten years, when they were together, when they were apart, why she married another man, who this other man is, and more. It's all rambling around the edges of my brain, so we'll see what comes out. Hope you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! Okay, after watching the finale… I will admit I very, VERY nearly lost all desire to write this fic or any other about Chair. I'm still in recovery. I'm not big on buggering a couple just for the sake of an OMG moment, and I hated the Chuck and Jenny sex. I think it was sad and gross, and a soul damaging decision for both of them. Whenever I don't like an actual plot point sometimes I change it in my head. This is what is going to happen with I Told You, so that I am motivated to write it. I'm still sticking with the original idea but I'm adding a point, which I'll tell you more about at the end of this chapter. Here we go…

Blair lay in bed watching the room change shadows as the sun rose, unsurprisingly having been unable to sleep that night. Finally getting up she went to the bathroom and paused, looking at herself in the mirror. It was going to take a lot of cover-up to hide these circles this morning. Smoothing down a lock of her hair, the sparkle of diamond on her finger drew her attention, and she now moved her hand in different positions, inspecting its affect on her image. She kept her ring on, because just because she hated the man, was no reason to hate the diamond.

Fixing her appearance so she didn't look like a Bram Stoker reject, Blair pulled on her sheer robe and headed down for breakfast. As usual, Dorota already had her fruit, yogurt and orange juice already set out, and Blair couldn't help feel a twinge of pain at the fact that the table was set for one. Just a few weeks ago she would have been sitting there with Harry, talking about what he should wear today, planning a trip to somewhere he had never been. Then Dorota would take him to get dressed, and Blair would sit and read the paper. Now when she read the paper in the quiet of the dining room, she sometimes liked to pretend that Harry was just upstairs, hiding his socks from Dorota and refusing to brush his teeth. She needed that this morning, but the paper wasn't there.

"DOROTA!" Blair yelled. "Where's the paper? You know I can't start my day without the Style section!"

Dorota nervously came to stand in the doorway. "The paper not come this morning, Ms. Blair. Maybe you like Italian Vogue?"

Blair's eyes narrowed and she looked at her maid suspiciously. "Dorota, the Times has the third highest circulation in the country… I think I can get another paper. The question is… are you going to like my mood after I've gotten the second one. So are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

Dorota scuffled out of the room and came back a few minutes later with the paper. It didn't take Blair long to know why Dorota had tried to keep it from her.

The headline read, "Billionaire Bass Takes Wife… Again!"

"Ugh." Blair said rolling her eyes in distaste. "The Basstard doesn't waste any time…"

Blair was suddenly very pleased with her decision to turn her phone off last night, however she had forgotten to turn her maid off as well. Dorota came back into the room with the house phone at her ear.

"It is Ms. Serena for you." Dorota told her, holding out the phone towards her.

Blair frantically shook her head. "Tell her I'm not here! Tell her I'm dead!"

Dorota rolled her eyes before talking into the phone again. "Okay… Yes…" She looked back at Blair. "She say she hear you, so you're not dead… but you must be crazy to marry Mr. Chuck again. She meet for breakfast in twenty minutes."

Blair huffed back in her seat, scowling at Dorota, but then she got up figuring it was better to get this scene over with, and probably best to do it in a public place, so Blair headed back to her room, changed, and headed out to meet Serena for breakfast. With any luck she would get to the restaurant first and have the power position of seat selection and, and the advantage of time. She really didn't have any luck these days.

"Is that good cover-up I see under your eyes, or bad?" Serena said with a raise brow as she watched the waiter hold out the seat for Blair.

Blair resisted the urge to excuse herself to check her makeup. She knew she looked perfect, and well blended, so she skilled herself to ignore her "friend's" question. In stead the corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile/half sneer, and she quickly picked her menu up to take a few minutes to ignore Serena. When they'd ordered, and there was nothing left to do, the two women faced off against each other.

"My first question would be to ask if it was true or not, but since the statement to the media was released by his official spokesperson, I'm going to skip that one, and get straight to, what are you thinking?"

Blair kept her face a perfect mask of non-emotion and deadpanned to her friend. "I think I love him, am desperate for him, and can't wait for the wedding. Happy?"

Serena ignored the droll tone, and soldiered on. "Seriously, B. I know things are difficult right now, but… you shouldn't just jump into something like this. I just don't want you to be hurt again."

For some reason Blair didn't want to admit what was going on to her best friend. Her life felt out of control, and she had to shore up her walls now, or have them crumble completely. "I'm fine, Serena. This is what I want. And as my friend and maid-of-honour, I expect you to get on board."

Easy as that, Blair had Serena onto another topic, that of the wedding. Sometimes Blair knew her friend too well. She had known it would only take the mention of her being in the wedding party to get her off the subject of the reason for the wedding. Serena was an instant, diehard romantic. She fell in and out of love regularly, so she loved its blushes, and the ceremonies that went with it. Blair had to admit that she was a romantic herself, but her idea and experience of love was something altogether different. It was deep, all consuming, heart entrenching, and when it was finally driven out it left a scar.

After breakfast they headed out for a morning of shopping, because retail made Blair feel better, and Serena wanted to try on mini-maid-of-honour dresses that barely covered her assets. Blair took comfort in her catty comments about Serena enjoying them while they lasted before gravity took hold and she'd need three plastic surgeons and industrial spanx to get away with her trademark style.

As they left Bergdorf's they were suddenly besieged by a group of photographers and reports, all shouting questions about the upcoming wedding, and Blair ignored them all until one caught her attention.

"What did you say?" She asked sharply over the noise. The group was actually shocked into silence at the cutting tone, and the surprise of Blair Waldorf addressing one of their own. She was known to allow her photo to be taken, but to not engage with any of them verbally. As if they were beneath her. As if she was a queen.

"Um… Well…" The reporter stammered. "Is it true you put your penthouse on the market to move in with Mr. Bass?"

Ignoring them again, Blair shot a look to Serena. "I have to get home."

Blair had the driver drop Serena off first, before having him head straight to her penthouse. The doorman smiled at her and congratulated her on her engagement. She managed a tight smile in return, and head straight upstairs, nearly missing his comment about how they were going to miss her in the building. Blair's blood ran cold as the doors opened up and she walked into her very empty apartment.

"DOOORRROOOTTTAA!" Blair bellowed and it echoed off the bare walls. "Dorota!"

This couldn't be happening. She'd only been gone a few hours, he couldn't have acted that fast. And what the hell had he done with Dorota? She was about to yell again when she heard the click of heels as they walked towards her. Looking up sharply Blair saw an exotic supermodel in a business suit, which could only possibly be one of Chuck's many assistants.

"Where are my things? Where is my Dorota?" Blair demanded.

"Ms. Waldorf, Mr. Bass sought to remove the stress of the move so you could concentrate on the wedding plans." The woman smiled coolly at Blair. She was clearly on the Bass payroll and loyal to the large check that it provided. "I've show your apartment twice this morning, have three appointments set for this afternoon, and several of them are showing serious interest."

The woman looked at her expectantly, like she was waiting for Blair to express some form of gratitude, but Blair just looked away dismissively.

"My maid?" Blair questioned icily.

"I believe she too is ensconced at Mr. Bass' penthouse." Reaching into her binder, she pulled out an envelope embossed with a bold B.

She scanned the card quickly. _"A little insurance so you don't try to run. You never get far without Dorota. I'll see you at home. C."_

Not wanting to give anything away in front of the help, Blair tucked the card away in her purse, and walked out of the place that just this morning had been her home. Not wanting to go to Chuck's, and not wanting to see Dorota so soon for fear she'd kill her for falling for whatever line Chuck had used to get her to his apartment, Blair headed to the pond. She sat on her bench and watched the ducks, but her mind was a million miles away. Actually it was almost nine years away, to the first time that Chuck Bass had proposed to her. Given that it was not her favourite time of her life, she rarely allowed herself to reflect on it, except for days like Anastasia's birthday when she couldn't help it.

It had seemed every sign had been stacked against her the day Chuck had set for his ultimatum at the top of the Empire State Building, and it turned out that every sign had been mocking her on that day. In the end she had rushed to meet him, but had missed him finding only his peonies waiting for her past the expected hour. Taking them as proof of her commitment to him and of her showing up, she headed straight to the Empire. She spilled everything out at him, and he had seemed so happy, which was not something common in Chuck, but he'd also seemed a little cagey. She'd even suspected at the time that he'd had someone there, but she was so happy to be back with him, and he was so eager as well, that she'd shaken it off. He said all the right things, and made all the right moves that evening. She should have known by then that these were all things that could betray.

He'd made her a drink and then quickly showered and dressed. She had thought they were going to the hospital so that she could tell Dorota her good news about being happy and with Chuck in the same night, and so they could see Anastasia, but Chuck had had other ideas. He'd instructed the driver to take the back to the Empire State Building, and even though it was closed for the night, he had unsurprisingly bribed their way in. She had thought he was going to do something romantic, and what he had planned for them earlier. She was right on both counts, but she had expected them to go to that spot and officially re-declare their love. Chuck had something more permanent on his mind. Standing at the top of the ESB, with the Manhattan skyline lit around them, Chuck Bass turned to her, took a deep breath, and spoke more surely and earnestly than even she was used to.

"I am so sorry for the pain I've caused you. And I know I can't take it back, but I want to make it up to you, even if it takes me the rest of my life… Blair, will you marry me?"

Her breath had caught, and just like she had followed her heart earlier today, she followed it now. "Yes!"

With happy tears in her eyes she had eagerly let him thread the ring beautiful ring onto her finger, before throwing herself into his arms. It had been one of the most romantic nights of her life. It was too bad that it had eventually been shot to hell by the dirty truth that had practically throbbed underneath it.

Coming back to the present, Blair shivered as she realized it was getting dark. A part of her was tempted to go to a hotel, and forget that Chuck Bass existed, but she couldn't do that. If she wanted him to keep to his half of the bargain, she would have to keep to hers. Standing up she straighten her coat and headed home… to Chuck's.

TahDAH! Okay, so I wasn't going to have them married before, but after the finale… I had to include it as part of the reason they weren't together later. More will be revealed about their first marriage in later chapters. I also think our Chuck wouldn't have been stupid enough to think the Jenny debacle wouldn't have gotten out. I think he would have acted faster, which is what you'll read here. If I can pull it off the story will address the present situation and cover past conflicts, which will be many. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Oh, and can you tell I might still be pissed at the Mother Chucker, and that's partially why he's not in this chapter. Seriously he has to be one of the MOST self-destructive characters on television. It's going to be a long summer…


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! I seriously need to stop writing fics and start focusing on an essay. Seriously, if I post anything after this where I don't start the author's note with, "I've finished my essay!" you need to tell me to get my ass working on it. It's not even going to be that hard. The structure is my style and the topic is a book review on how it sucks to be the working poor in the United States. Duh. I should be able to throw the thing out in a few hours… I just need to stop that little thing called procrastination… Damn. Here we go…

A maid greeted Blair in the foyer and took her things before leading her towards the formal dining room. Everything in Blair wanted to turn around and walk away, or at the very least give herself a few moments to gain her composure, but she knew he could hear the sound of her heels on the marble, and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing any weakness by hearing any hesitation in her step.

"Ahh! There's my blushing bride!" He clapped his hands, then rubbed them together, near giddy. He sat slouched in a chair at the head of the table, as only he could slouch. Blair's etiquette and years of scolding from her mother, kept her back ramrod straight most of the time, or at the very least had her maintaining a semblance of posture. She spared him a maliciously cold glance in way of greeting, but he just smiled larger, and toasted her before throwing back the rest of his drink.

She hated the Mother Chucker when he was like this. So puffed up and proud of himself. It made her want to take a pin and pop him like an overfilled balloon. Instead she steeled her jaw and sat in the seat a servant held out for her, a seat that placed her not across a long table, as she had hoped, but right at his side. He reached out to take her hand, but she moved it away.

"That's no way to start the night…" He said huskily.

"I hope you don't think we're sleeping together tonight." Blair bit out with disgust.

"You wound me." He said laying an overly dramatic hand to his chest.

"It's your probable wounds that are what disturb me the most." She drawled, looking him up and down.

"Have no fear, Kitten. I'm completely S.T.I. free… and shall I assume you can say the same thing…" He taunted.

Blair opened her mouth to tell him that of course she was S.T.I. free since unlike him she didn't spread it around to half of Manhattan, the boroughs, and vast parts of Europe and Asia, but she snapped her mouth shut before smiling at him sweetly. "Oh, no. I unfortunately have more diseases than a Petri dish at a free clinic. Best you stay away."

Chuck's mouth lifted at the corner. God, he'd missed her. "I think I'll take my chances…"

"After the wedding." She told him seriously. "I've taken Beyonce's advice. You'll have to wait till you've put a ring on it."

"Dorota into Destiny's Child again or just her solo work?"

"Jay-Z." Blair spoke before she thought better of it. "She's just the overflow."

Chuck smiled nodding. "I'll have to see that she has tickets for his next show at the Gardens…"

"Where is the traitor, by the way?"

"Happily moving from Queens to a lovely apartment just a few floors down."

In the course of their brief foray into lighter conversation, Chuck's hand had somehow succeeded in covering her own. As their dinners were brought in she noticed it and jerked away, trying to ignore the way it had sent tingles up her arm.

"Dinner!" Chuck announced needlessly, ignoring the way she now scowled at him. "Eat up… I'm looking forward to retiring early tonight…"

Blair choked on her first bite of scallop and melon. "I told you—"

"Ah, yes… You are a lady of virtue now. How novel…" Chuck leaned forward to rest his head in his hand, as he appeared to contemplate her. "Fine. The wedding is set for a week from Friday… I've waited this long… I can wait till then."

She looked up sharply. "That's nine days? I can't possibly plan a wedding, and prepare myself for the degradation of sex with you in just nine days."

Forking a scallop, he popped it into his mouth, smiling, and leaned back in his chair. "That's all you've got, Waldorf." He looked at her and for the first time that night his eyes actually took on the steely intensity she was more used to with him. "Besides, the sooner we get this settled, the sooner I get what I want, and you get your son..."

Her heart lurched at the thought of her son, and her hand tightened on her fork before she rammed her pain down so as to hide it away. She reminded herself that once this was done, he'd have a united Bass Industries, but she have something better. Harry.

Somehow she made it through all six courses of the meal, knowing less than half way through that it didn't matter how much she ate, since it would be out as soon as she got a chance. After dinner, Chuck walked her around the apartment that made the word spacious seem like a gross understatement. It made her mother's place look like a two bedroom timeshare in Boca. There was room after room, until finally he showed her to a hallway that clearly held the multiple bedrooms leading off of it. He showed her to a door that she assumed was the one that would take her into her bedroom for the night, and was about to walk into it when Chuck stopped her. He moved in and she stepped back away from him, until the barrier of the door stopped her. His hands came up on either side of her, blocking her in as he inched closer till their bodies touched. She kept her gaze directed on his tie, and refused to look up at him. They could feel each other's breath move across them, and it sent both their pulses racing. His hand came up to caress her jaw.

"Don't…" She managed breathlessly.

Instead of lifting her face so he could kiss her, he gently directed her chin to look down the hall, where he indicated a door smaller than the rest.

"There are stairs that take you up to our private pool…"

"Harry loves—" She broke off.

"To swim." Chuck finished. "So I heard…"

She looked down, not wanting him to see her upset, and she didn't see him take her hand, but she looked up as he raised it too his lips.

"Goodnight, Blair…"

"Goodnight, Chuck."

She walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her, taking mild note of many of her things set about the room, and immediately sought out the en suite. Coming out an hour later, her stomach still cramping angrily at her, Blair found and pulled on her nightclothes and climbed into bed. Turning off the light and putting on her sleep mask, she wished for sleep, but no matter how exhausted she was from the day, it didn't come. What did come was the memory of their first wedding, when she believed in him and in love.

Mere minutes after he'd proposed he'd had them rushing to the airport. He'd insisted he couldn't wait to marry her, and caught up in the romance of the night and being not only together with him again, but with him promising forever, Blair had thrown herself into the elopement. He'd thrown both of their phones into the river as they waited on the helipad, kissing her and making her laugh at his spontaneity. Spontaneity my ass, Blair thought as she rolled over, punching her pillow. They'd been married at dawn the next day, in a six hundred year old chapel in Italy, and then left for a rustic honeymoon that took them across the nether regions of Asia. It was one of the most beautiful times of her life. It was only upon their return to Manhattan that it had all been shot to hell.

Now, years later, firmly ensconced in his home and life once again, Blair cursed Chuck Bass for the millionth time as she fell asleep.

Chuck lay in his bed, picturing her in the next room. It had been years since he'd had her this close. Years since he'd had this much of an opportunity. He really should keep his distance till after the wedding. He really should spend the next nine days, playing nice and reestablishing himself in her daily life. He really should be a gentleman about the whole thing… but he was Chuck Bass, after all.

He got up, left his room and headed directly for hers. He sauntered in and smiled at seeing the cover over her eyes. It meant the light from his entering her room hadn't disturbed her sleep. Walking over to the bed, he pulled the comforter away to reveal her lying on her back, one hand bent by her face and the other resting across her stomach. He'd imagined her naked or in something small silky. He wasn't entirely surprised to find her covered from neck to ankle in satin pajamas. He carefully sat beside her on the bed and gently lifted the mask from her face. She was so beautiful. Running his hands down from her hairline, across her jaw to trace two lines down her neck, he smiled as she trembled in her sleep at his touch. With steady hands he undid the buttons down the front of her pajamas and peeled it away from her, exposing her to his eyes. He caressed the flesh he'd been the first man to touch, and his body reacted to that and the sound of his kitten purring for him. He stripped off his robe and climbed into the bed with her, pulling her tightly into his arms, rolling her under him, and kissing her passionately to ensure she awoke.

Confused she kissed him back and lifted her body to his, before she realized what was going on. She grabbed a hand full of his hair and yanked to make him release her mouth.

"You said we could wait!" She accused.

"I lied." He told her a second before his mouth swooped down to latch onto some of her most tender flesh.

Sensations rioted through her, released from a box that she'd buried inside of her when she'd cast him from her life. He was the only man to trigger her passions so completely, and tonight he was storming all her walls. With a broken cry of surrender, she gave in.

Much later that night, Blair lay awake on her side, Chuck spooned in behind her, his arm wrapped over her as if to keep her from getting away. She didn't think it was necessary given a breath of air couldn't slip between their sweat drenched, cooling bodies. She shut her eyes at the memory of his touch this night. All the places on her body that had missed him were sated, and even though she regretted caving tonight, she admitted that it had felt like coming home. The awful thing about having sex with Chuck was that it always felt like they were making love.

But she knew better now. She knew his touch could lie as well as his mouth could.

She had sworn she would never make this mistake again, the mistake of tying herself to Chuck Bass. You couldn't trust him, and nine times out of ten if you loved him he would end up crushing your soul, but she had no choice, except one. She would marry Chuck, but she would never love him again.

TahDah! Now I could tell you, I'm going to go be a responsible student and now write my essay… But I'm probably going to watch Victor/Victrola and Seventeen Candles, and remember the early days of Chair… then I'll write the essay. Sure… I will NOT write the little one shot in my head for IWillShowYouLove. Did I mention I've done NONE of the chapter readings for the exam on Thursday?


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! Okay, for all those who were so supportive/bullying… I finished my paper and wrote my exam. Yea! Now I start a new class tomorrow and a second in a week or so. Education is hard. 120 credits doesn't seem like a lot… until you think about the fact you get them three at a frakking time. Insanity. But, as I crawl towards the finish, I must admit I feel smarter. That's worth being in dept till I'm 60, right? Here we go…

Blair woke the morning of her second wedding to Chuck like a rag wrung out. She knew before she'd even opened her eyes that he was gone. His M.O. had become that he'd come to her bed every night since she moved in and come morning he was gone. Blair had shifted to autopilot, her life in limbo. She didn't have her son, and without him she didn't really have a life. What she had was a man who seemed like the anvil of her life. Unmoving.

She sat up and pushed her fingers through her hair, clenching it, liking the bite that rolled through her. Getting up, she pulled on her robe, walking out of her room and across the hall. Opening it up, she walked into the room she'd made for her son. The walls were his favourite shade of blue. The shelves were filled with his favourite books. The boxes filled with his favourite toys. She lay on the bed he had never slept in and stared up at the ceiling. Blair had had dozens of antique airplanes suspended from invisible wires to create a world of its own on the ceiling. He would love it.

She grew cold inside thinking that he would never see it.

Chuck stood by the door in his room, listening. Every morning he'd slip out of her room, but he never left her in his mind. He'd sit in his room, and wait for her to wakeup, and he knew exactly where she was going. She'd put her whole focus into decorating Harry's room, leaving the wedding plans to Dorota, Eleanor, and Serena. She'd finished the room days ago, and now every morning when she'd wakeup she'd go in and lay in there as if waiting for Harry. And every morning Chuck would listen, not going to her, but wanting to. He made love to her every night, but she never really let him touch her.

He remembered the first day, years ago, when she shut him out. It was the day they came from a dream, married, in love and happy. He'd hoped that had been enough. He'd been wrong. Within hours she'd learned of what had happened between him and Jenny, and it had taken only seconds for it to break her heart. Again.

He'd tried to make her listen, to see that it didn't matter, that no one else mattered. They were married, and they were a family. She'd told him you couldn't create a family on a foundation of lies. She'd walked out, and their divorce had rocked the UES, him trying to make her stay, and her desperately trying to get free. He'd consented only in a fit of rage after finding out about her dealings with another man. He'd regretted his actions as soon as she was free from him, but it was too late, and besides, in most ways she'd been gone since their return to Manhattan.

So now, here he was on their second wedding day. He wanted to force her to let him in. Instead he hid in his room feeling her pain through the walls like he'd done for over a week.

Not today.

He left his room, and came to stand in the door of Harry's.

"Morning."

Her head turned to look at him, and then she looked back at the ceiling. "Morning."

He took it as an opening, and let himself walk a few steps into the room. "I take it Harry is into aviation."

She nodded and he took a couple more steps. "When he was almost two our flight was delayed at De Gaulle. I thought I was going to have to mug a tourist for their portable DVD player, but Harry took one look outside the giant windows and fell in love. He just stood there for two hours, staring and pointing 'Pane! Pane!' It's been him and planes ever since."

As she spoke, Chuck came and lay down next to her on the bed, and both of them kept their eyes on the ceiling. Harry had been somewhat of a taboo subject between them, especially with there being little he could tell her about the search, and she didn't talk about it much because it hurt. Now, on this crazy day, she needed to talk about Harry to ground them both. He was what mattered, even on a day that was centered on them.

"He will love this room…" Chuck said, not commenting on the room, but on the fact that he would bring Harry home to it.

Chuck was just about to take her hand in his when they were jarred by a voice from the door.

"Is bad luck to see each other before wedding!"

Dorota stormed in and practically chased them from the room. The wedding was not to be a large one, because many of her friends had been to a large Blair Waldorf wedding only a few years ago, and they'd nearly asked for their gifts back after how short a time that had lasted. But as the people closest to Blair and Chuck, they'd all missed out on the first Waldorf/Bass wedding, and they weren't going to let that happen again.

Nate, Cyrus, Ramon, and Harold took Chuck, and it was only Harold that kept the party sober… moderately. Blair on the other hand, went on autopilot, letting Dorota, Eleanor, Serena, and Lily fuss over her. It wasn't until they went to put the final touches on their own outfit, and Blair was left alone, that she finally seemed to come back into her own body. Standing up, she walked over to the full-length mirror, and stared at herself. Eleanor had outdone herself with this last minute creation. It was beautiful, and emphasized Blair's dark hair and eyes in contrast to her ivory skin. The embroidery was echoed in the subtle jeweled headpiece in her hair. Blair had to admit… she looked perfect, and it had had very little to do with her.

There was a soft tap on the door, and Serena told Blair it was time to go. So with a steadying breath, Blair left the apartment, got in the limo, and went to where Chuck waited for her under a chuppah by the duck pond in Central Park. She walked down the aisle to the music of a four-piece string quartette, and even though she wanted to be distant and show him that his meant nothing, she couldn't take her eyes off him. It suddenly sunk in what she was about to do. Blair was about to marry Chuck Bass. Again. She was tempted to run, to just make a break for it or pitch herself into the pond to drown. That would teach him. It was like he could sense it, and a hint of a smile cracked his lips, and he gave her a miniscule shake of his head. She knew then that he'd probably just have her fished out and still make her go through with the ceremony, but now she'd need a tetanus shot when it was over.

She got to the end, and he took her hand, kissing it solemnly. She lowered her eyes from his intensity. It radiated off of him; he would never let her go again. A judge friend of Cyrus' performed the simple ceremony, and it was over soon. Blair knew what was coming. The kiss. She also knew better than to try to avoid it, because she knew Chuck would never let her get away with it. So, much like ripping a band-aid off, Blair stepped in hoping to get this public display over with. She had thought he would kiss her passionately to show their guests and the photographer that he had re-staked his claim, but instead he took her chin gently in his hand and pressed his lips softly to hers. She hated that it nearly made her cry.

He pulled away and took her arm, leading her down the aisle through a flurry of thrown white flower petals. There was a private reception at the Gramercy Tavern. The evening passed quickly, and while there was a celebratory air, it was tempered by missing presence of one.

When it was all over, Chuck took Blair back to his… and her home, but tonight she didn't retire to her room. Chuck had seen all her things moved into the master bedroom. It stunned Blair how fast everything had moved. It was like her life was a shaken snow globe, and she still didn't know exactly how everything would settle. After they had sex for the first time in years as wife and husband, Blair shocked herself by bursting into tears. Chuck was not as surprised since he could sense when a Waldorf meltdown was brewing. He held her tightly in his arms, and she let him, needing the comfort tonight.

Blair was woken up in the morning by a suitcase landing beside her in the bed.

"Chuck!"

"Up, Mrs. Bass. My valet will be coming in to pack our bags, and Dorota has breakfast waiting downstairs. We leave in two hours. Get up, get dressed, and let's go."

Blair looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to go find Harry, and we're not coming home until we can bring him with us."

For the first time in a while, Blair's eyes got back a hint of their twinkle. "Really?"

"A deal is a deal." He nodded, taking a second to enjoy her before heading to the door. "Oh, and I want to re-new our membership in the mile-high club… Dress accordingly."

His alarm clock smashed off the doorframe, but it didn't matter. They were going after Harry and her malicious ex-husband, and when Chuck and Blair put their minds to something… it almost made you feel bad for Jack. But not quite.

TahDAH! Two things… One… HOLY CRAP! I live in a lovely, beautiful, peaceful, and charming country. I love Canada. I also love that it is, for the most part, geographically boring, especially my part of Canada. So you can imagine how freaked OUT I am right now that we just had a 5.5 earthquake. WTF? I live on the Canadian Shield. It's bedrock, not fault lines. I'm sleeping in my clothes tonight… and maybe moving to the Prairies. Two… I received some support in sticking to my first choice in who would be Blair's ex-husband. Are you all still with me now that I've stuck with Jack? I HAVE A PLAN! I swear! Plus… she is married to Chuck again… I'm not as bad as the ACTUAL writers… Should I say to all of you what I say to my mom when I know she's not pleased with me? Here goes… I love you! It works on my mom.

Oh, and you can thank Charmander for getting me to write this chapter. I was just going to write a one-shot for IWill. C, I didn't see Jessica's dress, but I'll take your word for it.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello! Okay, so I'm trying to get this chapter out, because for the next little while my schedule kicks up, but I'm trying to have everything wrapped up by the end of summer when I stop being in school full time, and head back to work, yuck. I am also in the middle of packing. For those who follow my OTH fics and author's notes, you'll know I do this… A LOT. This will be my first of two moves over the next six months, with this being the smaller one, to be followed by the BIG one in roughly January. And now I'm rambling… Here we go…

Blair stood on the balcony of their hotel in Barcelona, looking out over the skyline. She couldn't enjoy the view because she knew they had hit yet another dead-end. She listened as Chuck berated one of their investigators over the phone. In three weeks and eight cites, it seemed like they were always one step behind Jack, keeping Harry always one step out of reach.

She heard him finish the call and join her on the balcony, but she didn't turn around, not even when his arms slipped around her waist from behind. They were both tense, and both frustrated by how difficult getting Harry back were turning out how to be.

"Your ex certainly can run…" Chuck commented dryly.

"He's a Bass isn't he?" She said off hand.

"It probably makes you question ever marrying him in the first place…"

Blair stiffened in his arms. Over the past couple of weeks he dropped more and more sensor over her marriage to Jack into regular conversation. She usually ignored his comments, because it was a subject she tried to avoid with Chuck, but it was starting to give her regular tension headaches.

"Enough." She snapped, turning in his arms.

"Hmm?" He asked casually, but she could see the anger simmer.

"You seem bound and determined to know everything, so fine." Pushing his arms away from her she stormed back into the hotel room, going to the bar and pouring herself a drink. He followed her and they faced each other from across the room.

"Fine. Lets get this over with… I never should have married him."

"You never should have done anything with him…" Chuck bit out.

Blair knew he was referring to.

"You mean me sleeping with him when you wouldn't give me a divorce?" Blair said with fake innocence in her eyes.

Chuck glared at her in answer, and she knew that one still stung.

Blair rolled her eyes before revealing a secret she didn't want to tell. "You know, your are remarkable easy to fool."

He looked at her for a moment before his head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed. "You mean…"

"You mean did I know they'd go running to you and tell you I was sleeping with your uncle?"

"Again."

"Yes to both. You wouldn't give me a divorce so I made you think I'd slept with Jack."

"Why?"

"Because he was the one man I knew I could use to make you drop me like I was hot… even if I knew you'd regret it later."

"You wouldn't…"

"It got me the divorce didn't it?" She smiled in victory.

"You twisted little—" He said, charging across the room to her.

"Like you've never pulled any tricks! One word, Chuck… Belfast."

A sly smile slide across his face, and Blair wanted to slap it off. Before she could move he grabbed her wrists, his face twisting in anger. "Fine! You didn't sleep with him and you got what you wanted. Freedom. You got your divorce. You didn't have to marry him!"

"I haven't been free since the night before my seventeenth birthday, and probably before that, but it doesn't mean I was going to stop trying. You hurt me, over and over again, and I wanted to hurt you. I wanted to hurt you so badly I couldn't see straight! So I married the only person you hated more than yourself!"

"Was it even worth it? You didn't even make it a full year with him before you were in Paris with your parents! Jack was there for the birth and the next week, my love, you were on a plane to Australia with him. And look how well that turned out…"

"Are you blaming me for Jack taking Harry?" She half yelled incredulously.

"Cause and effect." He said with quiet rage, enunciating every syllable.

It was like throwing gas on a fire, and Blair screamed before slamming her fists onto his chest.

"YOU AND I SHOULD NEVER TRY TO CLEAR THE AIR! IT JUST MAKES A BIGGER HOLE IN THE OZONE!" She yelled stomping her foot a split second before it slammed into his shin.

Both out of control the grabbed her face and kissed her with all the passion of the fight. Fiercely she kissed him back, wrapping her arms and legs around him as he hefted her up to carry her to the bedroom.

An hour later they both lay spent and quiet in each other's arms. They stared at nothing, and they should be exhausted, but they couldn't sleep.

"If I had known how things were going to play out… I would have done things differently." She finally whispered, as much of an admission of guilt as she was prepared to offer. It devastated her to think that she'd played a part it Harry being taken. It wasn't just that she missed him and felt like a part of her was missing, it was also that she legitimately feared for his safety with Jack.

Chuck let out a breath, stroking her arm. "I think you and I both know that hindsight is not something either of us has… It's not your fault… any of it."

"I wouldn't go that far." She said rolling her eyes.

He smiled a kissed the top of her head.

Late that night they were woken up by the phone in their room ringing. Groggily Chuck answered, and what he heard had him instantly awake. Blair sat up and waited expectantly for him to finish the call and tell her what was going on.

"Well?" She asked.

He looked over at her after hanging up the phone. "Jack's be stopped at the Greek boarder. Their holding him on warrant."

A smile slowly spread across Chuck's mouth. "Their sending him to Athens… we can fly in—"

"Harry!" She said excitedly.

Chuck nodded. "If we hurry we can be waiting for him when he gets off the plane."

Blair was out of bed like a shot. "Get moving, Bass! Those bowties aren't going to pack themselves!"

In the end they didn't pack anything but grabbed their documents and headed to the airport. They could have their bags shipped later or never, neither cared as long as this was the end of the road and Harry would be there.

The jet took them to Athens, and the sat in a bare, grey room at the airport waiting fro new. Chuck didn't move, but for rubbing his temple with one finger, as Blair cracked her knuckled over and over again. Finally Chuck put his hand over hers squeezing them, before threading his finger through hers.

After what felt like forever an officer entered and Chuck stood up to talk to him, and Blair was frozen to her chair. She got up and tried to hear but it was pointless since they spoke in Greek. Chuck turned to look at her, and she couldn't read his expression. He faced her his hands running up and down her arms.

"Jack bribed a pilot in Corfu. He got away—"

"NO!" Blair shouted nearly doubled over with disappointment at having been so close to getting Harry back.

"Blair, he may have gotten away, but—"

"MAMA!" A voice bellowed from the other side of the waiting room.

She looked up to see Harry fighting to get out of the arms of the agent that held him. Once he was let down he met Blair half way as she ran to him. Scooping him up she held him tightly, and he tucked his chin against her neck, his small hand clutching a lock of her hair in his fist like he had done since he was a baby.

"I love you… I love you… I love you…" Blair chanted over and over again. She knew she had told him she loved him every morning, every night and a dozen times in between, his whole life, but she now felt she had to make up for all the now lost times.

Finally pulling back he looked at her with big innocent eyes. "I love you too. Don't cry, Mama."

Blair shook her head with a smile, as if trying to shake away the tears. "I just missed you so much."

As Harry snuggled back into his mother's arms, Chuck signaled to Blair. "We should go… the plane is waiting."

At the sound of his voice, Harry looked over at him, and in a form true to his mother's he asked directly. "Who are you?"

Before Chuck could introduce himself as either Harry's cousin or his stepfather, Blair broke in. "This is Chuck. He's our family."

Chuck smiled at the boy, and after sizing him up, Harry smiled back. Blair talked incessantly to Harry as they boarded the jet, fussing over him until they had taken off and Harry had fallen asleep in her arms. It turned out that while Jack had been able to bribe the pilot into flying him out, the man had been unwilling to take Harry as well. Chuck figured he wouldn't have the pilot hunted down to harshly because he'd had the good sense and morals to ensure Harry was safely left with attendants. Jack however was still on Chuck's hit list. The urgency had diminished since they had Harry, but he would never stop looking for his uncle. It was time for Jack Bass to pay.

Slouching in his seat across from her, Chuck listened to her hum quietly to Harry, and watched her softly stroke his dark brown hair.

Catching him looking she raised a brow. "What?"

He smiled, both more relaxed now. "Nothing… It's just been a while since I've heard you sing… and usually that's only after you've had a rare tequila…"

"You must be mistaken. I don't drink tequila." She teased. "And that wasn't singing. It was humming."

Chuck mouth curled again, and his eyes moved from her to her son. "He's beautiful, by the way…"

She smiled larger. "Don't let him catch you saying that. He's handsome, not beautiful." She replied, quoting her son.

He chuckled, studying the boy again. "He's darker than what I expected…"

She resisted the urge to lick her lower lip. "I've shown you pictures."

"I know, but I guess I just thought he'd be lighter in person. The Basses tend to be more fair, and I thought maybe he'd have their blue eyes…" Chuck mused.

"I don't know if you've noticed this, Chuck, but I'm not a blonde, and blue eyes are recessive. There was a good chance he was going to take after me."

Chuck was about to say something when she cut him off.

"Chuck… thank you… for getting Harry back for me." She said sincerely.

"A deal is a deal… and besides… a boy needs his mother, especially when she loves him as much as you love Harry."

Blair smiled, sinking deeper into her seat, and hugging Harry a little tighter. As they flew into New York, she knew that this was the start of the next chapter… and it scared the hell out of her.

TahDAH! There you go! There's more to be revealed… but I couldn't give it to you all at once, now could I? Some things I think are now obvious, but it will be how they came about and what the fallout will be, that will make up a chunk of the story. Oh? Have they started filming yet? I am going to need spoilers! I am also glad the show comes back after my next move, so I have time to get cable! Did you ever pack and find things you never knew you had? Then the weird thing is that you keep them? Forget that. New rule with me… If I've forgotten I own something, it's time to let it go.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello! Okay, I started this… then I read spoilers, threw up, and stopped. If you're reading this it is because I found inspiration from… somewhere… Maybe I rewatched season one or two? I don't know, but if I get this done… it will be a miracle. I'm disgusted. Once again, I invite all readers to commiserate with me over PMs. Here we go…

Chuck lay on his back in his large bed in Manhattan. The room was dark with the heavy drapes closed, but he didn't need to look at the clock to know it was very late at night. He was alone, which didn't surprise him, but what did was when he suddenly wasn't anymore. The door cracking open sent a shaft of light across the room, and Chuck looked over to see Blair slip in.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he watched her walk across the floor to the bed.

"Nothing…"

"Then what are you doing here…" Chuck asked, completely still as only Chuck Bass could lay.

He had a reason to ask. Over the past week, since they'd brought Harry home to the UES, Blair had spent every night sleeping in son's bed. To be honest, she hadn't taken her eyes off of Harry for a second, and Chuck had understood her need to reassure herself that he was really with her and safe. This was why her appearance here now was unexpected.

"Maybe I just missed you." She deadpanned with a quirk of a brow.

"Or…" Chuck's mouth curved up at the side with humour.

Blair's own mouth swept into a smile, and out came the dimples he so loved. "Harry kicked me out. Apparently big boys do not sleep with their mamas."

"Ah. In this instance, I would be happy to be your second choice, Waldorf." Chuck drawled.

Chuck pulled back the covers, inviting her in, and pulled her tight as she slid into his arms. His lips found hers in the darkness of the room, and hands soon became engaged in the removal of pajamas, and exploration.

"I'm glad you're here." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Me too. I don't have to worry that you will wet the bed… Unless you've gotten into the Absinthe. " She smiled as she felt Chuck's chest shake with laughter under her cheek, and she rubbed her face against the silk of his pajamas.

Hours later, Chuck woke up and at first was disoriented to see light from the hall filling the room. Then he saw Harry standing in the doorway and looking unsure.

"What's wrong?" Chuck echoed his the question he'd asked the last person who had come through that door tonight.

Harry didn't say anything, but wordlessly stood staring at his mother's husband. Chuck didn't much about kids, but he knew the look in Harry's eyes. Being scared and alone in a massive penthouse was never easy… sometimes regardless of your age.

"Come on." Chuck waved him over. "You can sleep with us."

Harry shifted for a minute before running across the room and letting Chuck pull him into bed. The little boy wasted not time settling in between the two adults, snuggled his head into Blair's chest, shoved his thumb in his mouth, and promptly fell asleep.

Chuck fell asleep, content and only slightly haunted over Blair's talk of bedwetting.

Even after that night, Harry still shied away from Chuck, sticking close to his mother. Chuck didn't push it, but he was nervous Harry would never warm to him. Chuck had thought he would just be kind to the boy, and a relationship would build over time. He hadn't anticipated how fast he'd fall for Harry. Now that Harry was settling in, his true personality was beginning to come out. Chuck thought he was incredibly smart for only three, but he also had a wicked little smile on him when he thought/had gotten away with something. It reminded Chuck of Blair. He'd shoved a towel in a toilet and flushed. He'd taken a crayon to the marble foyer. Dorota still didn't know where her left shoe was.

So, one day the next week when Blair had gone out with Serena, and been talked into leaving Harry behind, Chuck was at his desk when the little boy appeared in his doorway.

He smiled, and hoped he didn't look like a diddler. "Hello."

Harry's head cocked to the side. "When is my Mama coming home?"

"Soon… Are you alright?"

"Yes… But I want go swimming."

Chuck wanted to give Harry the world. Harry had given him back Blair, so it was the least he could do.

They had spent the afternoon in the pool. Chuck wasn't much for water sports… or sports in general, but he was going to stay in that pool till Harry was done… or his skin fell off from the soaking. By the time Blair got home, Harry was eagerly telling her that Chuck had promised to take them to an island he OWNED, and he could swim all day, and with dolphins, and with mermaids!

Dorota took a dripping Harry to his room to change for dinner while Blair handed Chuck a towel and raised a brow. "Mermaids?"

"I have a connection in Vegas…"

Three days later they were in a pool on an island just off Fiji. By the time they returned home, the trio's skin had a golden hue, and they were happy. Harry now insisted that he and Chuck needed "Man time", and that Blair couldn't come. Blair agreed but threatened castration if she found out the activities involved alcohol, drugs, or procreation in any way.

Instead Blair met with Serena, showing her pictures of their vacation.

"I don't even remember the last time Chuck and I went on vacation together…"

"Ireland seems to come to mind…"

"That wasn't a vacation!"

"You disappeared for seven days." Serena reminded her bluntly.

"That wasn't a vacation… it was a timeout." Blair clarified.

Blair had already drifted out of the conversation, thinking of that time years ago, and she almost didn't catch Serena's last words. "A timeout with consequences…"

_Flashback. Just outside of Belfast._

_Blair had traveled in a hired car along the coast and she had just caught a glimpse of the sea before the sun disappeared. She'd arrived in darkness in the small town. She barely glanced around the pub, but under the smell of stale spilt beer she could still smell the ocean. _

_He was a mess. She could tell the second she saw his posture. _

_He was a degenerate, and this place was definitely below her standards, but she had an agenda._

_Her purse slammed into the back of his head before she'd even said a word._

"_Give it back or I'll take it back through your kidneys… or what's left of them!"_

_Chuck rubbed the back of his head and without turning he gazed at her from the corner of his eye._

"_I'm sorry?"_

"_My ring, Basshole." She bit out, holding her hand open for him to place it there._

_He raised an eyebrow, but turned away taking another deep drink from his glass._

_Losing her patience she grabbed the back of his collar and twisted it, pulling him back to leave his chest open to her. With a none too gentle hand she searched his pockets for it, but came up empty… and even worse, she knew he'd enjoyed the frisking._

_Letting his head go with a shove, she demanded from him again. "Where is it?"_

"_Safe…" He mumbled. Chuck threw several hundred-dollar bills onto the counter and swayed himself upright. "I've taken a place not far from here…"_

_The well-trained driver appeared within seconds of Chuck coming out the front door, and Blair wordlessly followed him into the car. Her instincts were screaming at her that this was a bad idea, but she went anyway. She was doing this to get her ring back. Her father had given her the perfect ruby on her thirteenth birthday, and she'd worn it almost every day since. It had gone missing from Serena's bedside table one night last week when Blair had slept over. Chuck had conveniently left town the next day. She told herself again that the ring it what brought her to Ireland._

_If she had thought the town had been isolated, it was nothing compared to the house Chuck was staying in. They drove into darkness until, as if on queue, the moon came out from behind the clouds to light the ancient stones of the house that could easily have been a castle. Set back from the shore, it still looked out over it, as if daring the waves to catch it. Blair caught her breath at its beauty._

_They pulled into the stone courtyard and Chuck got out of the car. The second Blair did the same; it took off into the darkness._

"_Chuck!" Blair stomped her foot, suddenly feeling very much trapped… and a part of her knowing it was of her own design. _

_As he opened the huge wooden front entry door light flooded out, and she could see him raise a brow at her. Silently she followed him again until they stood in the gently lit warmth of the great room._

"_No staff?" She queried as no one came to take her coat._

"_Not tonight…" He murmured as he stepped in, their chests almost touching, and gently pulled her coat down her arms._

_Her chin dipped low, hiding her face behind the curtain of her dark hair._

"_I was a fool to follow you here. Just give me my ring back and I'll go."_

_Her eyes shut softly as his hand caught her chin, his lips brushed along her jaw till they were at her ear, and he whispered seductively. _

"_Not tonight…"_

"_We can't do this…" She managed to get out, still not moving away from the heat of his body. "We have to stop…"_

"_Not tonight…" He repeated as his mouth caught hers and he bore her gently down onto the thick rug before the fire._

_Hours later they lay in the giant bed in the master suite, and Chuck fanned her dark hair out against the whiteness of the linens. She lay on her back as he was braced on an elbow looking down at her, and she couldn't help but wordlessly stare into his eyes._

"_Tell me you miss me." He demanded._

"_I don't." She managed to keep her voice cool._

"_Tell me you want me." His face moved closer till she could feel his breath against her skin._

"_Never." She said, practically against his lips._

"_Tell me you love me."_

"_I hate you." But even she didn't believe the last part._

_He kissed her, and made love too her again, because he'd missed her, and wanted her, and loved her so much since she'd left him._

_Later still, after the last candle in the room had finally burned out, he asked something new._

"_We could take a timeout…"_

"_What?"_

"_We could take a few days. Away from everything… everyone… we could just be Blair and Chuck. Chuck and Blair."_

"_You're delusional. The alcohol has made you think we're on the OC." _

"_But you'll give me the timeout…"_

_She knew when she'd followed him out of the pub it would come to this… hell, she knew when she boarded the flight to Belfast that this was the reason she was going to see him. It had been too long. She'd missed him like there was a part of herself that was gone when she was without Chuck._

_She gave him a week. They spent every second of it together. And on the final day, Chuck being Chuck, had to blow it all out of the water._

_They stood on a balcony watching the waves, him behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist. They both thought about the end… and why it had to be._

"_I don't know how to forgive you." She said out of the air as if it was a confession. "I don't think ever I can…"_

_He could hear the slight break in her voice, and even though he knew it was him who had brought them to this place in their history, he was still angry with her for not getting past everything that had happened before._

"_You always do…"_

"_This is different… I wish it wasn't but it is. We can't pretend forever that we live in this vacuum. In the real world… you hurt me again and again… You'll break my heart forever."_

_The anger in him snapped at his temper, and when he was hurt, he wanted to hurt back. If she was still pushing him away, he might as well savour this most recent victory._

"_Umm… Waldorf… Plot, setting, location… Some would say you even make it easy for me…" He leaned in to taunt._

"_What?" She turned in his arms, caught off guard by his change of tone._

"_Plot… your missing ring. Setting… a romantic castle with all the proper staging… candles, gauze curtains, king size bed… location, far enough away from our world that you don't think you'll get caught, so it doesn't count…"_

"_I am NOT easy!"_

"_Believe me, I never said you were easy… only that I know how much you really want to get caught…"_

"_Time in." She breathed a second before she ripped him a new one. _

_Eight days later Blair married Jack._

_End of Flashback._

"You have to tell him, B." Serena implored her for the millionth time.

"He'd never understand." Blair said, not taking her eyes from the family vacation photos. "He'd never forgive me."

TahDAH! Okay. I did it! It's a small victory, but I finished this chapter. The limo scene, the yellow dress scene, and the spooning scenes may have helped… There's tons still to go in this story, and I'm going to try to write faster… even in my inspiration is torturing me. Why must I adore this couple so much? They're killing me! Hope you all still read this fic, kind of like it, and don't hate me for taking too long to update. Thanks to everyone who sticks with it and me! This does not mean Maryam. She is the one reader I will tell this to… Maryam, you suck.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello! Pardon my whining, but… Is she gone yet? French Blonde that makes me ill? Gone? Sigh. I was watching season one, which put me in the mood to write, but not to proof read. Forgive me as always. You like me for my charming personality anyways, right? Here we go…

Blair lay curled on the sofa looking over the proofs the photographer had sent over a few hours ago. She smiled looking at them and how they had come out perfectly, of course. Their dark good looks translated well in each picture, and Chuck and Harry wore identical suits with Blair's dress matching their colour scheme. There were various poses in the selection, from the more traditional ones with her in a chair, Harry standing beside her and Chuck standing behind. But her personal favourite was one where Chuck was sitting in the chair with Harry in his lap and Blair perched on the armrest. It was a more relaxed shot because the photographer had captured a moment where Blair had just been adjusting Chuck's collar and she had slid closer to him and Harry was laughing because Chuck was purposely, secretively to avoid Blair's wrath, tickling his side. There was a familiar intimacy to the picture and Blair couldn't help but be drawn to it.

She had commissioned the photo shoot for last week and it had been a month since they had returned from their family vacation. A month in which Blair had watched Chuck and Harry bond in a way a father and son should. At first it had been Harry doggedly following Chuck around and wanting to do whatever Chuck was doing. Next had been the demand for more purple and "proper" suits incorporated into his wardrobe. And lately he had taken to mimicking many of Chuck's mannerisms. The last one had been tricky.

They had been sitting at the dinning room table over breakfast and Blair had been sipping her coffee while Chuck's brow was furrowed over some new financial piece in the Times, and Harry had been looking at the comic section. Frustrated, Chuck had grunted and tossed the paper aside, and when the child had copied the action, Chuck had turned to Blair with a raised brow and a grin. Blair had shrugged and smiled back at Chuck, but she new it was trouble. Chuck thought all of these similar actions were ones Harry was copying off him, and he loved it. What Chuck wouldn't love was knowing that there were many, many actions that would be familiar to him, but not new to Harry.

Since he'd been born Harry had had a way about him. At first Blair had thought she'd been imagining things, the way he cocked his head as he slouched in his high chair and refused to eat peas. The way his walk sometimes looked like more of a saunter. The scowl that crossed his features when he wasn't getting his own way. The smile that crossed his face when he was. They were all images of Chuck, and they had been there long before Harry had had Chuck to mimic. It was only later that Blair realized that these minute actions had a simple explanation.

"Mama…"

Blair glanced up with a smile to see her boy standing in the doorway. She held out her arms to him and he immediately tripped into them. Much like Chuck, Harry was a secret cuddler.

"What's this?"

"Remember the pictures the man took of us last week?" She watched him nod. "Well, these are them."

She held one up for him to see, he reached for it and she reminded him briskly. "Fingers." She loved her son, but wasn't about to ruin the prints with his tiny fingers that had been touching who knows what.

He pulled his hands in and just watched, as she should him different shots.

"So handsome…" She admired before placing a kiss on his dark hair.

"I want Chuck. Mama, when does Chuck come home?"

Blair sighed at her little stalker in the making. "Soon, darling."

As she looked at the pictures she got an idea. "I know… how about you and I take our favourite picture down to his office?"

"Like a present?" He asked, his eyes lighting up. Much like his mother, the boy loved gifts.

"Exactly!" She smiled back.

Two hours later, after stopping to get the picture framed, they rode the elevator up to Chuck's office. They breezed through reception, with Blair casually dismissing sycophants who approached her to endear themselves to the bosses wife, and Harry stumbling in a clumsy run to Chuck's office that had employees diving to get out of the way.

As they reached the personal reception area outside of Chuck's office they were greeted smoothly by Chuck's assistant who know better than to stall the woman clipping across the floor to the double doors of her husband's office.

"Mrs. Bass." She was greeted with before she pushed open the door to let herself and Harry in.

Perhaps she should have at least knocked.

The tension in the room was heavy as she and Harry came up short. Chuck was involved in a very intense, very angry conversation… entirely in German. Chuck glanced up and was about to snap at the intrusion until he saw who was there. It was as if a leak had been sprung, and he quickly broke off his phone conversation and stood up to greet them.

Harry ran and sprang into his arms, and Chuck hugged him quickly before walking over to Blair.

"This is a pleasant surprise…" He murmured as he placed a light kiss on her offered cheek.

Blair looked at him suspiciously, suddenly wishing German were one of the four languages she spoke. "We brought a gift… Is everything alright?"

"Fine." He said with an innocence she didn't buy. "What's this about a gift?"

They moved over to the sofa and Blair took out the artfully wrapped package and handed it to him.

"Open it! Open it!" Harry bounced.

"Alright…" He chuckled.

Chuck tore open the paper and lifted the lid on the box. He paused for a moment.

"You don't like it?" Blair queried. "I can choose a different frame… maybe something in platinum?"

"No…" Chuck shook his head softly. "It's perfect."

Harry smiled happily and then went off to find the toys Chuck kept hidden away in a cupboard just for him. Chuck and Blair stood up and she followed him over to his desk where he set the framed picture on it. It wasn't alone. There was a shot from their wedding, which Blair hated because she was less than pleased with her appearance given her mood on the day, but there was another photo. This one was one she hadn't seen in a long while. It was taken of them when they were no more than eight. She remembered that day. They'd all been visiting the Archibald summer home and spent the day on the beach. While Serena and Nate had run off chasing a ball, Chuck and Blair had knelt in the sand with the focus and concentration of great architects as they built their sandcastle masterpiece. Anne Archibald had pulled out her camera when they were done and Chuck and Blair had proudly posed for the shot. It had been a great day. And they both looked adorable with their matching dark hair, and coincidentally matching white shirts and navy shorts over their swimsuits.

Blair looked up from the Chuck of the past to the Chuck that stood beside her now, and she felt a not unfamiliar knot grow in her throat. Saying nothing she quickly moved away and back to the sofa, shuffling through her bag as a distraction from the intense dark gaze that was still trained on her.

"We should get going… Let you get back to work." She stood up, gathering her things.

Chuck moved quickly across the floor, taking her hands to stop her. "Actually… There's something I need to tell you."

She looked at him expectantly, and tried to ignore the tingles that chased up her arms from where he still held her hands.

"I have to go away for a few days… on business."

"To Germany?"

He raised a brow at how nothing got past her. "Yes, to Germany. There's a matter there that only I can deal with."

"Of course." Blair commented detachedly, but somehow feeling uneasy.

"It's just a quick trip…" He assured sensing her.

"NO!"

They both turned, startled, to look at a very angry young Harry Bass, who had just overheard and figured out the conversation.

"Chuck you stay!" Harry said with a stomp of his small foot.

Blair was just about to intercede when Chuck got to him first. He knelt down in front of the little boy, and tucked a finger under his chin. "It will just be for a couple of days."

Harry then turned angry demanding eyes to his mother. "Mama, make Chuck take us with him!"

Blair and Chuck shared a look and a hidden smile at the boy's bossy tone.

"Another time." Chuck once again stepped in, saving Blair from being the bad guy.

Harry looked at him with disappointed eyes and a pout not unlike his mother's.

"I'll be back. I promise." Chuck said.

"You promise?"

"I will never lie to you, Harry."

Blair felt a pain constrict in her chest. Chuck's life had been born into secrets, and in that promise she knew he wasn't lying himself. She knew he wanted Harry to trust him and believe him. Blair knew that she was the one keeping Harry's life full of secrets… well one secret. And while it had always bothered her it now felt like a torturous weight hanging around her neck.

Chuck told Harry to gather his things, and then stood to turn to Blair. He came up short at the look he caught on her face before she wiped it blank.

"Are you alright?"

Blair pulled herself together to smile brightly at him. "Fine. We'll see you at home later?"

"Yes…" He eyed her suspiciously. "The jet won't be ready till eleven."

Blair nodded and she and Harry said their goodbyes. She took Harry straight home, and instructed the cook to prepare Chuck's favourite meal… which had recently become Harry's favourite meal as well. Chuck came home earlier than usual, they ate a meal in which Harry did most of the talking, Chuck did most of the responding, and Blair was far too quiet for Chuck's peace of mind.

Later, after Harry had been tucked in, Chuck walked into their bedroom and cautiously moved to his open bags, checking to see that his valet had packed to his specifications, but mostly just watching Blair. He got the strong feeling that now was not the time to leave.

"Blair…"

She turned from where she'd been standing, looking out the window. She said nothing, just waited for him to speak again.

"It really will be for only a couple days…"

"It's fine." She assured him.

"Maybe when I return we can plan a trip… perhaps somewhere upstate?"

"Harry would like that." She tried to smile.

Chuck walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "I was thinking that this trip could be just for the two of us…"

Blair dropped her gaze to her hands that had come up to rest against his chest. She moved them caressingly. "That would be nice too…"

"Are you going to miss me?" He asked focused on her hidden gaze.

"Don't be ridiculous." Blair scoffed and neither one believed her.

Chuck spun them around and backed them onto their bed, pinning her beneath him. His lips sucked a path up her neck to whisper in her ear. "Are you going to miss me?"

"Make me." She challenged. And he accepted.

Hours later, deep in the night, Blair sat on her couch as a flustered Serena charged into the room.

"B, what's going on? What's the emergency? I'd just bought the next round…" Serena asked, flopping down next to her best friend.

"He's going to hate me." Blair looked at Serena with tortured eyes. "Everything is almost perfect… Just when I don't want him to… he's going to hate me."

"No he's not. He'll love you like he's always loved you, especially when he hears the whole story… as long as he hears it from you."

Blair nodded. "He doesn't love me… but I'll tell him when he gets back."

The next day, across an ocean, Chuck walked into the visitor's room of a maximum security German prison. He sat down across from his recently caught uncle who was facing numerous charges, and most likely not to see daylight for quite sometime.

With satisfaction Chuck looked across at him. "Sorry the Bass lawyers were more of a hindrance than a help. Tragic really…"

"Thanks… I think I'll hire my own council for the appeal." Jack sat back in his chair. "How is my wife by the way?"

Jack leered at seeing Chuck's expression darken.

"Sorry. I meant, how is your wife doing?"

"The best thing about this situation… besides you becoming Hans' new wife… is that you will never sullen Blair's air again, and I'll see to it that Harry is better off without you as a father."

It was as if his words lit a light in his uncle.

"Well, well, well… That little minx… I can't believe she still hasn't told you?" Jack Bass smiled, truly happy despite his current situation.

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you ever wondered why Blair got sole custody of Harry?"

"Because you're a psychopath." Chuck came back with… but a feeling of dread was creeping over him.

"Or… he's just not my son…"

TahDAH! I am so thirsty. You know when you start fanaticizing about ONE drink? Right now I'd kill for a lemonade. Ahhh. I haven't been watching the show to avoid the stress and pain… but I miss Blair Waldorf. I may have to peek into my PVR… and go to the store for some lemonade. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next one should be tricky.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello! Okay, show of hands… How many of you will never look at a grand piano the same way? I have heard the rumblings that some took issue with it, but I'm a Chair so… I thought it was HOT. The hand disappearing. The stocking rip. Hot. And yet I can't help thinking the show is giving us that because we're headed into a Chair dry spell for nearly the rest of the season. Judging by the preview for Monday's episode, I'll just have to cherish that one till… whenever the writers remember that Blair and Chuck are one of the main reasons a lot of people, okay maybe just me, watch this show. Here we go…

_Flashback._

_Blair rolled to her side on the chaise, and it was not an easy task given her current girth. Blair had been slight all her life and had strove for that look for most of her years. Nine months ago a little sperm had slipped through her defenses and shot all that work to hell. Her stomach looked like she'd swallowed a basketball. She'd had to stop wearing her signature ruby ring months ago when her fingers had swelled to the point of ridiculousness. And at the moment she was examining one of the newer more tragic side effects of her condition._

_She held her foot in the air for both her and her maid to inspect._

"_Ugh! Are these cankles? I totally have cankles!" She groaned. "Dorota! Why am I doing this?"_

_Dorota raised one brow as she continued folding the new baby clothes and placing them in drawers. "Because there chance that this baby come out with his father's brown eyes and dark hair…"_

"_My soon-to-be-ex-husband is fair." Blair emphasized._

"_Hmm… Like I say… there is chance it take after its father..." Not even bothering to look over at the woman she knew like the back of her hand._

"_Why do I tell you everything?" Blair mused for the millionth time in her life._

"_Because if you ever disappear you need someone who is able to give police accurate list of suspects with greatest motive? And I brainwash you as child. Made it easier to find out where you hid my tiara and why girls cry when they see you come into the park."_

"_I hear there are seats in available in coach on nearly all daily flights back to New York…" Blair pretended to threaten. The minute Blair had called to tell Dorota that she was pregnant and on a flight to Paris, Dorota had been on a flight to. She'd met Blair at the airport and had been with her ever since. The woman had taken a fair amount of abuse over the past months, but she'd gotten the whole story out of Blair, much to Blair's annoyance at times. She knew her Dorota. No matter what she said to her, her maid wasn't leaving her until she knew her Blair was alright. _

_Running her hand over her very swollen abdomen and shut her eyes at the sensation of the baby moving within her. Since arriving in Paris kept a low profile, and in these later months she'd even retired to her father's more country home. And now as the clock ticked towards her delivery and her mobility was truly an issue, she had nothing but time to reflect._

_She had married Jack out of spite, but the minute she did it she knew it was more masochistic than anything else. She was finally Mrs. Bass, but it was the wrong one and she was miserable. She didn't even care if she'd struck a deathblow because she'd landed herself in a far greater hell than Chuck could ever be in. _

_She was already looking for an out-clause when she realized her period was late. Blair knew if she took the test in their home is Sydney it upped the chances of Jack finding out she might be pregnant, and she knew he would trap her it that was the case. So, she had paid cash for a room in an upscale hotel, and it was the nicest place anyone had ever taken to pee on a stick before. _

_The second the test came up positive her first thought, as her hand went to her stomach, was that she was having the impossible; Chuck's baby. Than reality had set in. There was a very real chance that this baby was Chuck's cousin, and the rational part of her brain whispered that if she had Jack's baby she would be tied to him for the rest of her life. Ultimately it was the fact that, regardless of the father, this was her child and she thought a great deal about it, and knew she wanted it. It didn't hurt though that there was a chance it could be Chuck._

_Less than an hour after she'd taken the test she'd been on a plane to Paris and ensconced in her parent's before she texted Jack that it was over. She didn't mention the pregnancy, she was buy time, and yes, convinced fate wouldn't be so cruel and have her carrying anything other than Chuck's child._

_That was months ago though and Blair was almost a week over due. She knew the later she went the less likely that this baby was Chuck's. It did very little to improve her bloated hormonal moods._

_Hungry again Blair pushed herself into a seated position and struggled to her feet. She had taken only a few steps when she felt the gush of water come from between her legs. Looking down she'd cringed at first. "That's just disgusting."_

_Looking up and taking in the situation, Dorota had laughed happily. "Ms. Blair! You're in labour!"  
_

"_You think?" Blair sniped sarcastically._

_The next seventeen hours tended to blur in Blair's mind, and seemed to go on forever until she finally managed to push her screaming son out of her. As they placed him in her arms she'd known with everything in her that he was Chuck's son. He was exactly how she had always imagined their son would look. _

_It was a few hours later as she rested with her newborn at her side that she was interrupted. _

"_Charles Bartholomew Bass II? One, you have to be kidding me, and two… aren't you a little premature?"  
_

"_He's named after his father and I've started divorce proceedings, Jack, so why don't you crawl back under whatever rock you just came out from?"_

_Jack smiled in that way that made her shiver with disgust. "Like I said…" He sneered as he dropped a package of papers onto the bed beside her. "You're a little premature."_

_Blair flippantly began to scan the papers in disbelief. "This isn't right!"_

"_I had a rapid DNA test done. That's Jack Jr. you're holding." Jack reached out to touch the baby's tiny hand, but Blair slapped it away. Jack face tightened. "We'll be flying back to Australia within the week. I suggest you reconcile yourself to that."_

_She didn't even notice when he walked out of the room. It felt like everything in her world had gone from perfection to horror in the course of mere moments, and she wasn't entirely sure if she was going to be sick or not._

_When the obscene amount of balloons arrived minutes later with a terse card penned from Chuck that said only "Congratulations" on it, she felt like she'd lost her whole world… then she heard the mewing of her tiny baby, and she knew that for him she had to start over._

_End of flashback._

Blair stepped out of the elevator as she checked her phone again. Still no word from Chuck. She paused as she realized she hadn't heard the trample of feet that usually heralded her son's greeting.

"Dorota!" Blair called and her maid almost instantly appeared.

"Yes, Ms. Blair?"

"Is Harry beating you again in Hide and Seek or did you forget to pick him up from pre-school?" Blair asked with a raised brow.

Dorota rolled her eyes. "It was one time. Boy promised to not leave second floor and he is hiding in kitchen pantry."

"Are you calling my son a cheater?"

"I merely call him your son." Before Blair could decide to take offence Dorota went on. "I go to pre-school and they say he is already picked up by Mr. Chuck."

"Chuck's back?" Blair asked unable to ignore the excitement that news brought her.

Part of her brain questioned why he had been distant, but for the most part she just started to anticipate a surprise. With that in mind she went upstairs to change before he got home.

Chuck sat in the limo and tried as hard as he could not to stare with freakish intensity at the boy who sat beside him in the car. Harry was playing with the toy plane Chuck had brought him from Europe and it took all of his strength not the grab the boy in a crushing hold and never let go of him. Harry was his son. Looking at him now, Chuck wondered how he hadn't seen it before. Wait. He knew. That lying, manipulative little—

"Are we going home now, Chuck?" Harry asked breaking into Chuck's train of thought.

Chuck flinched at hearing Harry call him by his formal name. He was Harry's father, and as soon as he had dealt with the boy's mother, both Harry and the world would know it too.

Chuck looked at his son and told him honestly. "No… We aren't."

TahDaH! As many of you long time readers know I don't normally reread anything I've written. I did however scan through this one, and while it may seem to have made more questions than it answered, I'll address more in the next chapter. Oh, and how cute was it that at her party their outfits coordinated? SO cute! Just like the old days! Is it wrong that I kind of hope they made a point of saying her party was a week before her birthday so that we could get a little Chair sex on their anniversary? Just me with fingers crossed?

Oh, and there were some super nice reviews for the last chapter, so THANK YOU for those!


	9. Chapter 9

Hello! Okay I promised a chapter soon in another fic, and here it is. Weirdly I'm still bitter over the first four and I didn't even really watch them… but I am falling more in love with this season with every episode. The tone and truth in her voice when she said she loved him at the end? Oh, Chair, I love you. Oh, and when she said she followed her heart all last year and it got her nowhere… or left with nothing? Something like that? BUT what I'm getting at is… It makes me think he still needs to work for her. Like she anticipates him breaking her heart again, but this time she wants to have something to fall back on. But that's just my take. Here we go…

Blair sat in the sitting room, one leg tapping on the floor as she texted her husband again.

_Where are you?_

She waited. Still no reply. She made up a hundred reasons for this in her head, but she couldn't ignore the, often-right, alarm bells that were sounding in her head. Something was wrong.

She nearly bolted out of her seat when she heard the elevator door chime, and her heart was in her throat when she heard Harry crying. Her feet barely skimmed the floor as she nearly ran to the foyer. Her hand went to her chest in relief when she saw Harry safely in Chuck's arms, and she could now tell that his tears were more from being tired than anything else. Her relief was short lived as she caught the cold look in Chuck's eyes. It was so harsh that it made her gasp.

Harry must have heard her because his head lifted off Chuck's shoulder. "Mama!"

He reached for her and Blair quickly moved towards him, taking him into her arms. He instantly clutched her and whimpered into the crook of her neck as if he had been frightened and was now assured. Blair turned her censor on her husband, scared of his mood but not nearly enough so to back down on this incident. "Chuck, what were you thinking keeping him out so late?"

"Put the boy to bed, Blair." Was all Chuck said before heading into his office.

Her censor froze as those internal alarm bells now started screaming inside her. She could read him well and she did not like the energy rolling off of him at all. She held Harry a little tighter and nodded after Chuck. Taking Harry upstairs she took longer than usual to put him to bed, for one the little boy seemed agitated and clingy in a way she hadn't seen since just after getting him back, and for another she was delaying whatever it was that was eating at Chuck. When she finally headed downstairs to Chuck's office she imagined this was something like what Marie Antoinette must have felt. Hearing glass shatter behind his door did nothing to dissuade that belief.

Upon reaching his office, Chuck had swiftly poured a stiff drink. Then another. He was desperately trying to blot out his rage, but nothing was working. Of all the things they had ever done to each other, she'd won the war with this one… or nearly had. He knew he was Harry's father now. At just the thought of all the time he'd lost coupled with her betrayal, he lost his grip and hurled his glass across the room.

He was just straightening his hair and then pouring himself another drink when he heard the rap on his door. It wasn't tentative and it wasn't pleading. It was a declaration. He had to give her credit; she had more guts than anyone he had ever met. He knew she had picked up on his mood, and yet she wasn't tiptoeing into the lion's den, she was banging on the door. If he didn't hate her so much at the moment he would have bought her diamonds.

She had opened the door without waiting for him to bid her entrance, and now stood in the entry, shoulders back and chin tilted up. Chuck threw back his drink and indicated one of the large chairs before his desk. Tearing his gaze away from her he took his own seat behind his desk. Neither spoke for endless minutes.

Rolling her eyes and wanting to get this over with before it gave her stress wrinkles, Blair broke first.

"Where were you tonight?" Blair asked.

"I took Harry to the airport."

"To watch the planes take off?" She asked hoping against hope her instinct was wrong.

"Not quite…" He bit out his hand tightening on his drink. "I was going to take my son and disappear."

"You know." She said more to herself than to him. Her eyes shut and then she processed his last words and they shot open. "Wait? What?"

"I thought it only fair since you've had him all to yourself for years that I, as his father, had the same right."

He watched the emotions flit across her face before it went blank. He enjoyed the flashes of pain and fear he had caught. He wanted to hurt her and it killed him that he couldn't do it enough to truly equal the score. But it had been close. Chuck hadn't lied when he said he'd taken Harry to the airport. The jet had been fueled and ready for take off. He'd even nearly boarded with Harry, but then something happened. Harry had asked for his Mama. His Mama. Chuck had wanted to give Harry the world even before he knew he was his biological son, and now he wanted to give him everything. How could he start off by taking away the mother Harry loved? Chuck had had the car turn back towards Manhattan. He hated her for what she had done to them, but he loved Harry more.

"You should consider yourself very lucky that I have born witness to your natural ability to parent. Had I any doubts you were anything other than a perfect loving mother to my son, you would not be seeing him again for at least three years." He glared at her as he slid further down in his seat. His eyes seared her but she didn't waver.

"I'm so grateful for your praise." She bit out coldly and yet she was trembling inside.

As the relief of having not lost Harry a second time ebbed, the realization that everything that she and Chuck had built in their relationship over the last couple of months was crashing down. Regret for so many things threatened to choke her.

"If you would just let me explain…" Blair tried, but knew it was too late. The look he gave her said it all. She was dead to him. She could see Chuck had already tried her in his head and found her guilty. His first sentence would have killed her, but clearly she'd been issued a stay, and now could do very little but wait to hear what his new one would be. And she knew there would be a reckoning for this. She realized he was speaking again and she tried to pull her mind back to focus on his words.

"The DNA tests, while mostly a formality…" He looked at her pointedly. "Will be in by tomorrow, at which point my lawyers will go about establishing all legal rights I am due as Harry's father. I trust you'll sign all the necessary documents?"

"Of course." She agreed tonelessly.

He nodded briskly. "The announcement will also hit the papers first thing in the morning, so you should tell Harry before he leaves for school."

"You haven't told him?" Blair asked, genuinely surprised.

He raised a challenging eyebrow. "I think this news would best come from the liar's mouth… Wouldn't you agree?"

Ignoring him Blair sat up a little straighter. "I'll speak to him as soon as he wakes up."

She stood to leave, weary to her bones, but outwardly like ice. His words stopped her in her tracks and she turned to face him.

"Now there's just the act of reconciliation…" She could feel the threat in his eyes and she braced herself as he continued. "Come now, lover. You know how much we both hate leaving scores unsettled…"

TahDAH! Okay I know I left a long A/N at the beginning but I just wanted to ask… did anyone else see the clip of Leighton singing with Garrett Hedlund? SO good. I'll never understand how the main media give Blake more credit than Leighton. Leighton can ACT. I'm not a big Gwyneth Paltrow fan, but I'll see Country Strong.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello! Happy Holidays! I just handed in my last assignment of the year and my goal for this week before I hit the big crazy of the Christmas days (Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing day), I'm going to try to be a good little fic writer and update a bunch of stuff. That way Santa will for SURE bring me the pony I've always wanted! Oh, and I wrote this thing, it's a long chapter for me, and I didn't proof it. It's the season to be forgiving. Here we go…

Blair carefully opened the door and crept across the dim room. It had been a disaster of a night and she hadn't slept a wink, but as always, just looking at Harry seemed to sooth her. He lay flopped on his side with his arms stretched out in front of him, as if he had just been spilled out of a barrel. He slept like Chuck. He slept like his father. Easing herself down onto the side of the bed, Blair just sat and looked at him for long moments before gently stroking the hair, made damp from sleep, off his forehead.

She hadn't always made the best, or what someone would consider the right, decisions regarding Harry, but she loved him with everything in her, and everything she had done since he was born had been with him in mind. Harry was the one person who had ever pushed Chuck into a secondary consideration.

Right now Chuck was more of a royal pain in her ass than a consideration. The events of Chuck's home office started to flit through her head.

_Last night…_

"You've lost your mind." She declared as she stared at the contract he'd shoved across the desk at her.

"Arguable." He said noncommittally.

"Wouldn't divorcing me be easier?" She snapped, grabbing up the contract and starting to porous it.

"Too easy. Plus, if history has taught us nothing, you and I are stuck with each other."

She flinched inside at his tone that made it clear that it was a negative to him. On the outside she was like ice as she began to read the contract. "I won't do this."

"There is always the other tit for tat option…"

She felt a cold chill run down her back at even the idea of not seeing Harry for at three years. She tried to reason with him to get him off this track. "Chuck, another child isn't the answer."

"Maybe… the years you stole from me with Harry… I can never get back. It is only a partial compensation. Like I said… I could have just taken my son from you for the equal amount of years… but this is new deal is what I'm offering. You have two choices, Blair. Agree to the second child… or forfeit Harry for the next three years."

"You are such an asshole." She said going back to carefully reading all the fine print.

"I believe you mean Bass-hole."

Not looking up she addressed him. "No. No this time I mean a regular asshole. I should divorce you for even suggesting this."

"That isn't one of your options. Harry stays with me… one way or another."

"Chuck…" She warned, not liking his threatening tone, and now using one of her own.

"Relax… But know that they'll be no divorce… unless initiated by me. Like I've said, you're lucky that you've made yourself and Harry a package deal. If it were anything else I would have thrown your sweet ass out hours ago." He derided.

Hating him, she had to fight not to clench her hands on the contract too tightly. She had to try to give as little emotion away as possible. After carefully reading the contract Blair scrawled her signature across the page and then dropped it back on the desk before him with an air of victory.

"What?"

"It says I'll go off birth control and not use any other methods of contraception… it doesn't indicate that I ever have to have sex with you again."

"You're wagering on me not being able to get you into bed?" He asked like she'd lost her mind.

"No means no, Chuck." She said with a cool smile.

"Hasn't it always when it comes to you?" He reminded, having never forced her into sex in all their history together. Tricked, yes, but never forced. "Do you really think you can hold out? You've got a great many fertile years left… Too many to go celibate."

"Unlike you, I am capable of a little thing called restraint."

"Good luck with that, lover." He said with the total belief that he could have her at any time.

Sensing this, Blair laid the bate of an out clause. "Care to make a counter wager?"

Seeing that cunning look in her eyes, Chuck sat up a little straighter in his chair, trying to read her and trying to figure out what she was up to.

"If I'm not pregnant within the next six months… you let me go… with a joint custody agreement for Harry."

A malicious chuckle broke from him. "You have nothing to negotiate with. I hold all the cards…"

"Let's be honest here, Bass. As much as you threaten, you know legally, and with the help of my fathers, I could easily retain custody. If a judge compared my history to yours? On paper there would be only one answer. You'd be lucky to get an invite to his graduation from Yale." She said with an evil innocence.

Blair watched as the knuckles of Chuck's hands turned white as the lay clasped together on his desk. Good. She was getting under the Mother Chucker's skin for a change. When she saw the muscle tick in his jaw she knew she had him.

"Fine. If I cannot get you pregnant in the next six months using consensual, passionate methods… I'll agree to let you go… with the provision that we must both reside under the same roof for the next six month, and after said period we would both agree to remain in Manhattan to facilitate an equal joint custody arrangement of Harry."

"Agreed." Blair said, feeling like somehow she'd managed, against all odds, to win tonight.

As she got up from her chair, ready to make a hasty exit, his voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't look so please with myself if I were you, Waldorf…"

"Why not? Six months… and you'll lose all your trumps. Voila!" She smiled happily, her shoulders rocking from side to side

He stood up and moved faster than she expected to come around his desk and roughly pull her into his arms. She stood still as a statue, not moving and not looking at him. The arms that had held her tightly a minute ago, now caressed her, and as she stared at a lamp across the room she felt his breath softly against her jaw.

"Really, Waldorf? You really think you can hold out…" He now whispered against her ear, before taking the lobe into his mouth and sucking gently.

Payless. Payless. Payless. Blair thought in her head as she tried to remain unmoved.

Dulling her eyes she turned her head to look at him. "Are you about done?"

Chuck smiled knowingly, but let her go. It took a supreme effort but Blair managed not to go running from the room. Instead she walked out steadily, went up to the master suite and calmly locked the door. Then she jumped up and down, and screamed into a pillow for the next five minutes.

A half hour later, as she sat at her vanity combing out her hair, she heard the handle to the bedroom door rattle.

"Blair…" Chuck said warningly.

Blair got up and stomped over to the door and gleefully told him through it. "I agreed to living under the same roof, Chuck, I never said under the same sheets. Enjoy the guest room!"

She smiled with satisfaction as she heard hit let out a string of curses.

"Uh, uh, uhhh!" She chirped. "Vulgarity is hardly likely to get me in the mood. Goodnight, Bass."

She jumped, as a hand seemed to fall hard against the door. His tone was remarkably civil when he did speak. "Goodnight, Waldorf."

She pressed her ear against the door till she heard his footsteps walk away, and then checked the lock with a nod of satisfaction. She told herself the next six months were just going to fly by. Tomorrow on the other hand…

_The next morning…_

Harry stirring beside her brought Blair out of her reverie, and her eyes regained their focus just as his opened.

"Mornin', Mama…" He grumbled as he stretched and reached out to her.

Blair smiled as she took him into her arms and pulled him onto her lap. He was getting so big, she thought, and it made her remember the tiny little being she'd first held in her arms. It also prompted her to use her baby nickname for him, one that he had tried to banish since his third birthday.

"Good morning, Hare-Bear."

"Mama…" He groaned as he buried his face in her chest. "That's a baby name."

"I'm sorry." She teased back. "How careless of me to forget."

She felt him nod against her, and she wished that she didn't have to have this conversation. She thought about lying, and would have if she believed she could get away with it. But it was time for the truth and both father and son deserved it.

"Harry…" Blair began, shifting him slightly away from her so she could see his face. "Harry, since you're not a baby anymore… Mommy needs to have a serious conversation with you. Can you do that with me?"

The sleepiness vanished from his expression as he put on his most serious look. "Is this about the play dough in the toilet?"

"What?" Blair's eyebrow quirked.

"Nothing!" He said too quickly.

She shook her head to ignore the new distraction and got back to the seriousness of the conversation.

"Harry, do you remember when we lived with Jack?"

He nodded gravely. Those had not been happy days for either mother or son.

"Do you remember when I told you it didn't matter? That it didn't matter if Jack was… distant or mean…

He nodded again, his brown eyes like giant saucers. "Uh huh. You said it didn't matter because Jack wasn't my Daddy."

"Right." She said reaching up to run a soothing hands through his hair. "Do you remember what else I said?"

The little head bobbed again, because he head clung to her words through all the cold things Jack had said and done. "You said Jack was not a nice man and could never have been my Daddy because I'm so wonderful. You said my real Daddy was wonderful like me, and he would never say the stuff Jack did."

"Exactly." Blair took a breath. "Harry… You like Chuck, right? He's pretty wonderful… to you… right?"

Harry nodded, and given who his parents were, was putting the hints together at a rapid rate despite his young age.

"Chuck is my Daddy?" Harry asked with such a light and hope in his eyes that it nearly made Blair shed the tears in her eyes.

She was taken aback at how relieve and happy she was that this news seemed to be good news to Harry. She sighed and for a moment she couldn't look him in the eyes, but forced herself too.

"Yes, Harry, Chuck is your Daddy."

It was like she'd told him everyday was going to be Christmas, and she could feel the excitement in his small body… and then his Bass-ness came out and he scowled at her.

"Why hasn't he always been with us?"

Blair sighed again, not wanting to open that can of worms for the moment, and not wanting Harry to be the first person, other than Dorota and Serena, that she told. But this was it. This was going to be the foundation for Harry and Chuck's relationship and for Harry's sake, and all of their sakes; she wanted it to be good and true.

"That's a longer story, but for now the most important thing is that he's here, he's not going anywhere, and he loves you. Harry, your Daddy loves you so much."

For now that satisfied the little boy and he threw himself at her, hugging her tight with happiness.

"Well done, Mama! Chuck is WAAAAYYY better than Jack!" He declared before his eyes shot wider. "I have to pee!"

She let him slip from her arms and run to the adjoining bathroom, and placed her hands in her lap before squeezing them together tightly. At least Harry was happy.

Her back was to the door and she didn't see the shadow that lurked there. Hearing a sound she turned and saw the door had been left slightly ajar, with a view into the empty hall. Ignoring the shiver that chased down her spine, she called out to her son.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"We're going to discuss that play dough in the toilet later."

TahDAH! There we go, and you can thank some of the readers over on gossipgirlsss for their gentle encouragement of a chapter. Have I told you? Have I told you about how much I hate myself for like how Blair and Dan play off each other? Dirty, dirty, dirty of me. No worries. I know I am a Chair… with all my heart. Oh, and WTF? January 24? TOO long! Sigh. I'm SOOO looking forward to the second half of the season.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello! I have to pee. Sorry that was the first thought in my head when I sat down to write this chapter. Please excuse me a moment… And I'm back. And yes, I washed my hands. Now we are a week away from the second half of the season. Are you ready? At the end of this chapter there will be an author's note about Country Strong. DO NOT read it if you haven't seen the movie and you don't want spoilers. I have a question. Now, here we go…

Blair lay across her bed as she perused the Internet researching chastity belts. None of them looked appealing. Sighing she shut her lap top figuring she'd have to come up with another way to evade the Basshole and his egg seeking sperm. She made a mental note to look up how to drop a man's sperm count.

It had been four days since his proclamation and four days since their deal. They'd played dueling locksmiths for the last two nights, causing Blair to resort to having to ask Vanya and a disapproving Dorota to agree to chain lock the master bedroom door tonight. Chuck really was staging a full court press, and so she had no choice but to shore up her defenses. It didn't help that the man knew all her buttons and exactly how to press them, and so Blair made a point to avoid being alone with him. She'd learned the hard way that that was a mistake.

This morning she had thought he'd left for work. She had thought that she'd secured the door. That was before she learned the man, much like his PI, had a locksmith on retainer. Having an important luncheon to prep for, she had stripped down, run a hot shower, and stepped in. She'd needed this. The tension had been too much the past few days, and finally feeling safe she'd let her mind go. Big mistake.

She didn't hear the double doors open to the Master suite, she didn't hear the bathroom door slowly pushed wide, and she certainly didn't hear the expensive suit slip to the floor. But she couldn't mistake the sound of the misted glass pane being pulled open, and the following cold blast of air before it was pulled shut. And she could miss her very naked husband headed straight for her. She screamed, but even in the stall that was so large it was almost a room, she couldn't get away. His hands slid up her wet skin, pulling her close until they both gasped at the full body contact that sent shock waves through both of them.

Her will power returned a second later and her small fists found his shoulders to try to push him away. She shook her head just before his lips found hers, and he hefted her up to sandwich her between the cool, wet tile of the wall and his hot body. Blair's mind and resolve swirled and seemed to go down the drain with the spray of the water. He had her and they both knew it.

A short time later as they stood, still pressed together against the wall, Chuck's word's found the crook of her neck, and she could hear the triumph in ever syllable of his words. "And that's one…"

He backed out of her arms and out of the shower stall before she could react. Her screams echoed off the walls again, but this time they weren't ones of pleasure.

Blair woke herself from the recent memory, and decided to give the chastity belts another look.

Downstairs Chuck glanced up from the contracts on his desk and froze as he saw Harry standing in the doorway of his office. The little boy stood there, looking slightly uncertain until he realized that Chuck saw him, and he immediately straighten up and his small face took on an air of arrogance, an all too familiar mask that caused Chuck to marvel at the power of genetics.

"Harry." Chuck greeted with a nod and a look he hoped the boy read as welcoming. He remembered all too well the times he'd reached out to his father only to be shot down. Chuck vowed Harry would never know that rejection.

Chuck had to admire his son, even though he knew Harry was afraid, he still walked into Chuck's office like he owned the place. Chuck indicated one of the chairs set in front of his desk, and while the boy hiked a leg and climbed into it, his father shifted nervously in his own seat. He knew Harry now knew that he was his father, but he had no idea what would happen next. Not wanting to scare the boy, Chuck had waited for Harry to process the information and come to him. Tugging slightly at his collar, Chuck now questioned that choice. What if Harry had thought about it and had changed his mind from what he'd told Blair? And yes, Chuck had been eavesdropping at the time, but he had never been able to take not knowing something.

"So… you're my daddy?" Harry asked out of the blue. Direct as a small child could be.

Chuck nodded. "Yes."

"And… You're always going to be my daddy?"

"Forever." Chuck promised.

"Can I call you Daddy?"

"I'd like that…" Chuck smiled, totally and completely in love.

"Are you going to be good to us?" Harry drilled.

Chuck knew instantly what the boy was talking about and it didn't surprise him. Harry saw himself and Blair as a package deal. She was the primary constant in his life and a mother that loved him with all her heart. Yes, Chuck knew what Harry was talking about. His son wanted all of them to be happy, and he wanted his father's promise on that.

"I couldn't be any other way. I've never really had a family… I would like, very much for us to be one…" Chuck held his breath.

"I'd like that too." Harry smiled.

Chuck smiled back and a small pause opened up between the two. More at ease, Harry looked around him at Chuck's office before finally asking. "What are you doing?"

"Working." Chuck said, making no effort to go back to it but enjoying this time with Harry. Like a real dad.

"As a Bassterd?" Harry asked innocently.

Chuck coughed in surprise, which turned into a chuckle as he mused. "Now… I wonder where you heard that one…"

"That's what I heard Mama tell Dorota you were?" Harry offered with a shrug.

"Hmm… You're mother is ever a descriptive woman… But no, not as that. I'm a business man." Chuck simplified.

"What kind of business?"

"Mostly real state…" Chuck thought for a moment. "I buy buildings or make new ones."

"Oh…"

"Do you want to see?"

Harry nodded, and Chuck started pulling images up onto his computer screen. Harry slipped of the chair and tripped over to his father, holding his arms up, and Chuck only slightly pausing because this was so new to him. Settling Harry in his lap Chuck couldn't believe how natural if felt, and he had to clear his throat before talking.

"Do you see that old building?" He pointed at an image and felt Harry's nod. "Well… we're going to knock down that building and build this new one…"

Chuck pointed at the new plans beside the image of the old one, but he wasn't looking at the screen. He had eyes only for Harry. It brought him up short. He really had a son. He and Blair had made this amazing little human. He and Blair had a son.

"You know…" Chuck began as he hit on an idea. "We could name the new building after you…"

"Really?" Harry's eyes lit up. "My own building? No sharing?"

Chuck smiled at the possessiveness in him. "Well… we'll let other people work in it… but yes… your own building."

Harry looked at the screen with greater interest.

"The Harry Bass Building…" Chuck mused, cringing slightly. What had Blair been thinking? Chuck knew, as someone with a name so open to interpretation, his son was in for some schoolyard teasing. "How about the Harold Bass Building…"

The boy's brow scrunched up in an image of his mother's at the distasteful thought, and he shook his head. "Harry Bass Building. That's my name."

He should have known that a Bass man would be above the juvenility of a lowbrow name comment. Chuck nodded. "The Harry Bass Building it is."

Later that day Blair and Serena sat in a restaurant ordering lunch after both having to attend a luncheon with lousy food. Starving they waited in their high-end choice, and Serena sat back to wait out her best friend's clear agitation at the world.

"Spill." Serena demanded with an easy smile. "You know you're going to tell me eventually, so you might as well vent it out so you don't ruin lunch… or kill a busboy. You're still on a list of suspects downtown…"

Blair rolled her eyes before throwing her hands up. "Fine!"

Pulling herself up straighter, Blair looked over at her friend and spoke with as much dignity as she could manage over the subject. "As you know… Chuck is on a mission. Much like man walking on Mars, there didn't seem to be much hope… But this morning…"

Serena cringed. "Let me guess… the eagle has landed?"

"Bingo." Blair sighed dramatically. "He planted the first flag."

"Blair…"

"What?" Blair snapped. "It was one time and it's never going to happen again. So what am I? Some sophomore from Des Moines? I won't get pregnant the first time."

Serena ignored that and looked at her friend seriously. "You should tell him. It will make things better if he knew the truth."

"It's better this way. He hates me less if there's a game involved."

Serena shook her head but looked at Blair with love and concern. "But this game ends with either a baby on the way or you and Harry without Chuck… I know you, Blair… You don't want it this way…"

"Chuck will always have Harry. I'm glad they both know." Blair said honestly, and for a second her eyes teared up. "And it doesn't matter because I'm not going to get pregnant. We'll all just have to get used to the idea that Chuck and Blair are not meant to be."

As their food came Blair changed the subject, but for different reasons both of the women worried that the last statement might be true.

TahDAH! Okay here is my question to everyone who watched Country Strong… I totally think that Chiles had the same relationship with James as Beau had with Kelly. Aka… sex. I think Beau saw it in their body language backstage and it was brought home when James showed up at her hotel room late at night. Her reaction to him, and kicking Beau out, plus Beau's jealous reaction the next day? Hookup.

PS- How cute is the rumours that Leighton and Garrett are romancing? Even if they're false, they're adorable.


	12. Chapter 12

Hello! It's Family Day here in Ontario… And I have to study all day. Naturally my commitment to schoolwork has allowed me to finish this chapter. I am never going to graduate. There was something else I had to tell you but I've forgotten. Oops. Enjoy the chapter! Here we go…

_It was always the same. The smell that made her stomach clench, the way the light always seemed to dull even though there was sunshine just outside the opaque curtains. She hated this house. She hated this city. And most of all she hated the man who had dragged her here and locked her away._

_Blair felt the choking tension that she only felt in this house. She knew he was home and she knew he was drunk and judging by the randomness of his speech he was most likely high too. It was never a good combination._

_There were times when he could go whole weeks without incident. He was still and asshole, but it was limited to snide remarks, veiled threats, and cold disdain. All things that Blair was well equipped to handle. Then he would break. He would drink and snort until his true personality was let out of the box, the one he hid behind the mask of sophistication, and it was a mask, because under the suits and false air of breeding, her husband was nothing but a violent thug. _

_Blair could have sworn she'd heard him in his study, but she suddenly felt naked and vulnerable as she stood in the vast foyer, unsure of where he was, but certain he was closing in on her to pounce any second. Bile rose in her throat._

_She couldn't remember putting their son to sleep but she knew that he was. She could only hope that he would sleep through this. Blair had also learned to stay as far from Harry as possible when his father was like this. Since she seemed to be his only target, it was safer for Harry that way, and also she never wanted him to witness this. Witnessing violence is a form of abuse and her love of her son was beyond anything she'd ever felt. She couldn't do that to him._

_She crept to her room, trying to avoid a confrontation, but knew it was pointless. She had moved out of the master suite almost a year ago, but it hadn't stopped him from pursuing her. If he wanted to have a confrontation with her a door and a lock wasn't going to stop him, but even so when she slid into her room and felt him watching her from the shadows the floor had bottomed out under her._

_There had been many, many times when she had felt physically threatened by him, and it always went hand in hand with the verbal battery he threw out. Yes there had been many nights when, in his rage, he had come close to taking his anger out on her with his hands, but he'd danced away from that edge. Tonight he had let loose the reigns, and she knew there would be no pulling back._

_The assault had seemed to go on forever taking the room with it. As she lay amidst the carnage, the throbbing in her ears finally cleared to hear, from somewhere else in the house, the desperate tragic cries of her son…_

Blair came awake with a start, lurching up in the bed and gasping for air like a drowning woman. As the grip of the dream cleared she became aware of her surroundings and the safety of her true home. She was confused for a moment when she continued to hear Harry crying, until she realized that he was crying. Glancing at the monitor by the bed she heard him loud and clear, and she jumped from the covers, grabbing her robe and heading for the door.

After throwing back numerous deadbolts Blair stumbled out into the hall… and right into Chuck. He had clearly heard Harry over the monitor in the guest room he slept in and had been heading to Harry's room as well. He looked at her, at first with surprise, and then with confusion.

"What's the matter with you?" He queried, taking note of her ashen complexion and sheen of perspiration.

"Absolutely nothing." She said coolly, pulling her silk robe up over her shoulders and shoving by him to go first the short distance to their son's room.

Harry was sitting up in bed, fretting, and you would have thought he would have quieted upon seeing his parents, but he held out his arms and screamed louder. In seconds Blair filled his arms, pulling him into her lap and holding him close.

On some level she recognized that she was also taking comfort from him after the trauma of the dream, and she could only hope that whatever nightmare that had woken him hadn't come from the same place as hers.

That last night with Jack had been the final straw. For months he had kept her isolated, monitored her calls, even writing several of her texts and emails to her family and Serena. In everything he painted the picture that she was happy and they were fine when nothing could have been further from the truth. He had locked all her bank accounts and stripped her of cash. Servants only came on evening and weekends when Jack was home, and even then she was either locked in her room or he stayed directly at her side. She had only been able to leave the grounds of their isolated estate when he was with her, and it was always without Harry, so he'd used that as a tool, knowing she'd never run without her son.

Life had been barely tolerable before that night and she knew that it would only get worse, and so she did what she had to do. When he'd left for work she'd dressed and walked to the edge of the property with Harry on her hip. She'd waited, for what felt like forever, until she saw a gardener walking their neighbour's large property. Signaling him, she traded the only thing of monetary value that Jack had left her, her ruby ring, in exchange for use of his cell phone. She'd called her mother. A private security force had had her and Harry out of his house and out of the country within two hours.

Now, safe in her home in Manhattan, safe with her son, and safe with Chuck, she couldn't halt the trembles of fear that shook her body at the memories of her marriage to Jack.

Chuck stood a pace back, watching them, and he couldn't shake his sudden concern. Harry seemed fine, a little rattled from his sleep, but nothing that unusual. Blair on the other hand… Chuck knew her well, and he didn't like what he was seeing. It was the look she had when she'd buried something deep inside her and it was now trying to claw its way out.

He cleared his throat after a few minutes, because Harry was going lax in her arms as she held him and stroked his hair. "Maybe we should tuck him back in…"

He almost bit his tongue at the suggestion when she looked up at him with haunted eyes. She was gaining as much, if not more, from this than their son. A split second later the look was gone and she was nodding.

As he felt himself being lowered into bed, Harry came alert and latched onto Blair. "Noooo, Mama! Ca' sleep with you and Daddy tonight?"

Blair and Chuck's eyes met quickly. While they were sleeping in separate beds, hell, Blair was barricaded in a separate room, their son had no idea his parents weren't where they had always been since he came home.

Chuck held his breath, letting her take this one, and was in for a surprise when he heard her address Harry.

"Of course you can." She smiled at Harry, ignoring the penetrating gaze she felt burrow into the back of her head.

She continued to ignore him as she scooped Harry up in her arms and walked out of the room. As they were headed into the hallway, Harry's head lifted off her shoulder and he called out to a still frozen Chuck.

"Come Daddy!"

Even confused over Blair's odd behaviour, Chuck followed the spoken invitation from their son, and the wordless one that came from his wife as she paused to look at him. The three of them went into the master bedroom, climbed into the bed and Harry immediately snuggled in. Even though the bed was huge, they all lay close, Blair still making sure that Harry was sandwiched between them, but still close enough to hear each other's breath and feel it move across their skin.

To Chuck it had been forever since they'd slept in the same bed together. Last week he had taken the first round when he had taken her in the shower, but since then she'd stayed chaste. This however was the first time in a while he'd been able to sleep with her. He never slept as well as he did when she was near. And like she always had been, she was his comfort.

To Blair this was exactly what she needed. Chuck. In all of their lives, all of their times together, while she had taunted him, made him angry, made him yell, no matter what they had been feeling, she had never once been afraid of Chuck Bass physically. She knew that while he could shred her emotionally, he would never hurt her. She knew he would never hurt her son. With the dream still around the edges of her unconsciousness, she needed him close, and she needed him here with her and their son. She needed her dark knight.

Chuck woke in the morning to a foot kicking him in the gut. He startled and glanced over to see his son sprawled across Blair, but with his feet draped over his stomach. Sun flooded the room warming him and his family, and for a moment Chuck enjoyed the domesticity of the moment, and the power of his emotion for the two people asleep in his bed. As Harry came awake he moved kicking him again, and Chuck could see Blair stirring under the actions. Chuck acted quickly, scooping the boy up in his arms and slipping out of bed. He had glanced at the clock, seeing the time, so he hadn't been surprised when he found Dorota in Harry's room folding clothes. She however looked surprised to see him with Harry, but he passed him off to her before she could speak.

"But… Ms. Blair?" Dorota questioned, sensing doom.

He ignored her with a seductive chuckle. "Is indisposed. See to the boy."

"Oh boy." Dorota grumbled, knowing she'd have to deal with the Blair fallout later.

Chuck walked back into the master suite, shut the door, flicked the locks, and leaned back against it to look at her. She had fallen back into a deep sleep, as if she'd been exhausted, but she now lay more spread out against the sheets since her body sensed she was alone. Not for long.

Chuck's smile grew. This really was too easy.

Stripping off his pajamas he crawled back into bed with her and for a moment just enjoyed holding her sleep warmed body. Propping himself up on one elbow, his other hand gently pushed the fall of dark hair from his face and he wondered at how he could never hate her. He needed and wanted her forever. With that thought in mind as well as a pressing desire for her, he began to seduce her sleeping body.

She woke up to the sound of her own loud moan, and her eyes opened as he slid up her body to kiss her hotly on the mouth. Just before his lips touched hers he'd looked at her like he was waiting for her to fight him, but Blair didn't have any fight in her at the moment, and she lay still to his kiss. In seconds she was kissing him passionately back as if her life depended on it. As if he was her air. For a heartbeat he wanted to stop and question her mood, the darkness behind her eyes, but right now his desire for her was greater and he could tell the way was clear. There would be time to search for answers later.

Later as they lay panting in each other's arms, Chuck found the strength to lick her neck and whisper triumphantly into her ear.

"That's two."

He didn't even care that his ear rang from her slap for the next hour.

TahDAH! Okay… questions? The dream was a snapshot into what her life was like with Jack, but she still has more secrets buried. They'll come out in the coming chapters. Oh, and just to be clear, at the point she left Jack, she still believed that he was Harry's father. Hopefully that came through in the writing. Now, I'm off to go read about Critical Thinking. So stupid. I'm a good debater/arguer, I don't need to know HOW/WHY I am. Hate this. I also hate philosophy. All you philosophy majors can now yell at me.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello! I am crazy sorry that this chapter took so long. Some of you might have a guess for the reason, but I won't go on about it again. So we're five from the end of the season, right? Here's my thing… there is nothing they can do to give me an anxiety attack more than they did at the end of last season. Because of this… I'm kind of cool just watching it all play out. Oh, and I'm sorry, but… WHY do they keep bringing more of Serena/Lily's family on? I don't give a crap about most of the clan now, let alone aunts and sheltered cousins. Waldorfs. I LOVE Waldorfs. My only thought to why they play it the way they do… The Van Der Woodsens NEED filler. Blair can hold her own in any storyline and so they don't need her family there all the time. A pop in from Eleanor and any of the Daddys just adds to her, whereas the Van Der Woodens NEED other characters for drive. Just a theory. Here we go…

Blair sat at her dressing table brushing her hair. Her eyes were vacant as they viewed her own image with detachment. When had this become her life? Chuck and she were all about games, but when did it become a war? She'd lived that already and she was tired.

She was glad he knew about Harry, but a part of her missed the way they were before the truth came out. They were a unit. A family. A happy ending. It was ironic that the truth had taken that away. She had thought that maybe things could get better, but she didn't know anymore. The deal was one thing, but she still felt it under Chuck's skin—

"Mama?"

At the sound of Harry's voice she blinked and came back. Blair threw on her brightest smile and turned to him.

"Harry!" She said as if everything was fine. "Are you ready for school?"

"Yes." Harry replied but his father's eyes looked out at her. It was like he, as his father could, could look into her soul. "Are you okay, Mama?"

Blair dialed up her smile. "I'm fine, darling."

She put her brush down and walked over to him to kiss his cheek. "Now let's get you to school. You've got a full day ahead of you."

She had no idea how right she was. Harry's day had landed him, and consequently her, in the Headmaster's office. They sat side by side in chairs set before the desk. Harry's feet swung back and forth as he slouched in his seat, while Blair's legs were clamped together so tightly she could have broken a knee and if her back got any straighter she'd snap it. The third seat, just to her left, remained empty.

"Headmaster Clark, I know your time is valuable so if you'd like to start…"

"My secretary spoke to Mr. Bass, and he said he was on his way and wished we would wait for him."

"Of course he did." She bit out, smiling tightly while at the same time cursing the Bass-hole in her head.

She shot her son a look and the boy sat up straight in his chair as he flashed her a smile that often worked to get him out of trouble. She flashed him a smile of her own that told him no deal. Harry was just about to go with puppy dog eyes when his father sauntered in, all charm and power. He first squeezed Harry's shoulder gently, letting the boy know he was there and that whatever this was he had his support.

"Mrs. Bass." Chuck greeted, coolly kissing her offered cheek in greeting before turning to the Headmaster. "Clark."

Chuck shook the man's hand firmly before lowering himself into the last chair.

"Nice of you to show up." Blair whispered between clenched teeth, not taking her eyes from the Headmaster.

"I would have been here sooner… But I some how missed the call from my wife letting me know the school had called her…"

"I assumed you'd be busy at work."

"Ah yes… I can see how your own unemployment might lead you to believe that someone who worked would lack time… but when it comes to my son, I'll make time."

Blair flinched at his mention of her state. Waldorf women weren't stay at home moms. It was a sore spot for her and he knew it. Her eyes shot to him and his locked on hers. Headmaster Clark's eyes stayed on Harry, who seemed to shrink as his parents exchanged harsh words.

"Echm." Clark cleared his throat and the Basses eyes turned to him. "Perhaps we can discuss this privately… Harry may return to class?"

"Of course." Blair smiled at Harry as the boy gratefully slunk out of the room. With him gone she turned her charm on Headmaster Clark. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Not trouble, Mrs. Bass… Let's say there has been an incident…"

"Harry seems fine?" Blair said as if there was no way her son could have been a part of anything negative, all the while knowing better.

"Harry wasn't so much the victim… as he was the perpetrator…"

Blair rolled her eyes dropping the pretense. "What did he do?"

"You may not be aware, but we have allotted times for some of the more sought after playground equipment… Harry had had his turn… and it would seem that he has manipulated, bribed, and blackmailed his way into almost every turn."

Looking shocked at the moment could have won Blair an Oscar. "I really have no idea where he could have learned such behaviour."

Chuck, who had remained mostly silent till then, nearly choked at her words. Rubbing a finger over his lower lip to hide his smile he offered a suggestion. "Perhaps if there were more equipment available to the children… there wouldn't be this… issue. We would of course be interested in contributing to the playground fund to purchase more…"

He left it open as to what had been the equipment at issue, and the Headmaster innocently filled them in.

"Swings. Your son likes to swing."

Blair's eyes shut and her brow pinched. "I swear to god if you make one comment about our son being a swinger, I'll choke you with your own tie."

Chuck's mouth turned up at the corner but before he could say anything she continued. "And you can wipe that smarmy grin off your face too."

With a deep sigh Blair opened her eyes and addressed the Headmaster. "As you might have heard, our family is going through a period of adjustment. However I can assure you that Harry is our primary concern, and this matter will be addressed. Oh, and… I understand the Spring Carnival is coming up?"

"Yes." Then Headmaster smiled. Having been the Headmaster of St. Jude's for some time now, he was familiar with this dance. "We're hoping to make it the best one yet."

"As are we." Blair smiled back, slipping the check from her purse and subtly sliding it across his desk.

With the situation dealt with as any powerful Upper East Side parent would, Blair and Chuck exited the school and entered their waiting limo. They said nothing as the car drove to their apartment. They didn't even say goodbye when Blair got out and Chuck headed back to the office.

Later that night Chuck sat at his desk in his home office going over some papers. It was late and the room was dark other than one light on his desk and the glow of his computer. He glanced up and stopped when he saw Harry standing in the doorway. The boy was wearing a dark purple robe over his gray and lilac silk pajamas. Chuck had a matching pair. He could almost hear Bart turn in his grave.

"Harry." Chuck smiled waving him in. "Can't sleep?"

As Harry came forward Chuck could see the scowl that furrowed the boy's brow. He didn't have to wait long to find out why.

"You lied." Harry accused.

"I told you I'd never lie to you." Chuck gently reminded him.

"That's what you lied about." Harry said as if his father were an idiot.

"What did I lie about?" Chuck asked.

"You promised you'd be good to us. You lied, so you're a liar, Liar."

God, Harry was his mother's son, Chuck thought. Chuck took a breath and treaded carefully. "You don't think I'm good to you?"

"You're good to me." Harry told him and Chuck was flooded with relief.

"But you're not good to Mama. You're making her sad. You used to make her happy, but now she's sad."

Chuck groaned internally. He had no idea how to explain the intricacies of "Chuck And Blair. Blair And Chuck" to his son.

"It's a difficult sit—" Chuck began.

"Fix it." Harry demanded coldly.

"I don't know if I ca—"

"Fix. It."

Chuck sighed in defeat and frustration having been strong-armed by someone who couldn't even tie his own shoes. "Fine! I'll fix it!"

TahDAH! There you go! I am going to try not to put off the next chapter so long. Try. Forgive me for spelling, grammar and tardiness?


	14. Chapter 14

Hello! I love how much you all love little Harry Bass! Thanks for the reviews and the love. Oh, and… I'm at a desk! I know, not a big deal for any of you, but my past few chapters have been written with me sitting on the floor at a desk made out of empty boxes. Stop laughing. Now, here I am, at my lovely, new antique looking, yet Ikea, black desk. I even got the drawer in! Drawers are tricky. Shout out to Leksvik! I am also sitting in an actual chair! Sigh. Chair. Anyone else see the Midnight preview and are now having anxiety attacks over it? The drama. Here we go…

After walking his son back to his room, Chuck tucked Harry into bed, he tired to ignore the laser beams he felt shoot into the back of his head. Could you give cut eye to your own kid? Deciding the answer was no, he looked back and tried to do a comforting smile. Harry did not smile back. Chuck wondered if it was too early to hand over the reigns of Bass Industries and if the board would balk at being run by a preschooler.

Chuck walked the shot distance to her door. He tentatively placed his hand on the doorknob, not surprised to find it locked. Raising his hand he made to knock sharply on the heavy wood, but stopped. Instead his raised hand merely flattened against it, and he leaned in. Breathing. He thought about how much he wanted her, and how much he loved her, and he knew if they had any hope it was to tear down everything and get it all out on the table. He didn't know if he was brave enough to do that. Risk it all.

He was still locked in that moment of indecision when the door was pulled open, and he stumbled, not only into the room, but also straight into Blair. The momentum carried them back and across the floor, each trying to not land on it, and just when they could feel gravity pull them down, they landed in a heap on the bed.

Chuck lay sprawled on top of Blair in a mass of tangled limbs. For a moment neither moved, after having had the wind effectively knocked out o them. As air returned, Blair's eyes narrowed on her husband, and her hand grasped his ear, twisting it.

"Bass!"

"AHHH!" Chuck howled, lurching forward and pinning her more firmly to the bed.

Blair grunted under him, and let go of his ear in order to start pummeling him on his shoulders with her small fists. Chuck flinched with each blow, because while her hands were small they were also deadly. Catching both her wrists, he held them and pinned them above her head, while at the same time narrowly avoiding her knee. He quickly situated himself between her knees to avoid damage to his favourite body part. They were both panting by this time, and eyed each other wearily in the shadowed light of the bedroom.

"Where's my rape whistle when I need it?" Blair derided.

"Easy, Waldorf. It wasn't intentional."

"Yes. I'm sure that will be your defense at the trial."

"I just wanted to talk to you…" He scowled at her, hating the cold wall she was using against him.

"Really? I hear knocking and identifying yourself is an effect way to engage in conversation… Unless of course you think I've taken up mind reading… or you're just psychotic!"

As she frowned up at him in petulant anger, he couldn't for the life of him remember any good intentions towards seeing her tonight.

"Well? Spit it out! What was so important that you just had to talk to me?"

That's it. Chuck was done. "No talking." He bit out… a second before his lips slammed down on hers.

The sexual tension that had built between them spilled over and in seconds she was kissing him back passionately. He released her hands to pull her closer, and her hands immediately slid into the hair at his nape. Clothes were ripped, torn, and yanked out of the way in an effort to get closer, to feel skin on skin, to communicate in a way that had always been safe for them.

They followed their passion till they lay spent and sprawled again on the bed, breathless now for another reason.

"If you say, 'That's three', I'm going through with the chastity belt order… and charging it to your credit card." Blair managed when she could finally put a thought together.

Pulling her body away from their sweat-slicked embrace, she rolled onto her side and struggled with the tangled sheet for a moment before getting it over the majority of her body. She didn't know why she bothered. He'd memorized every inch of her a long time ago, but right now she felt like she needed a shield, a protect against the words he could use to mock her over his triumph of having sex with her again.

Chuck pulled himself up to look at her. This was not how either one of them wanted it to be.

"Blair…" He said gently reaching for her shoulder, but he was cut off.

"The door is open and we're giving the help a show." She pulled the sheet up and over her slender shoulder.

He got up and adjusted his clothes. He left without another word, but after he closed the door… he could hear her crying. Chuck went down to his office and got ripped.

The next morning he woke up to the house in an uproar. It did nothing for his hangover. Chuck stumbled downstairs to see doormen loading a series of bags onto the elevator, and Blair and Serena talking adamantly in the foyer. He moved so quietly he was able to practically be on top of them before they'd even noticed he was there, and this allowed him to catch some of their conversation.

"B, you have to tell him."

"I left a note."

"Yeah. That's going to go over well."

"Seren—"

"Why don't you just tell me now." He interrupted, surprising them both.

Blair turned and he caught the brief shutting of her eyes just before she opened them again and gave him a big, bright smile. "Chuck! Good morning! Remind me to buy you slippers with harder soles for your next birthday."

"What's all this?" Chuck cut to the chase and waving a hand to indicate the bags.

She shot a pinched smile at Serena. "S, why don't I meet you down in the car?"

Serena took the queue and quickly fled to the elevator. Blair ran her glove over her fingers till they were alone.

"Where's Harry?" Chuck bit out. It had been the first question that had popped into his head, and he regretted saying it. He saw the way she bit her lip and looked down at her shoes, and he knew that had hurt her. He knew she thought that Harry was the only reason he was agitated about her clear departure.

She looked up and somehow managed a coy smile. "He's a school, of course. I've made arrangements for Dorota or Eric to drop him off and pick him up every day, but I'm sure you could rearrange it if you wanted to do it… Harry would like that."

"Blair—"

She shook her head, and he knew she was trying to keep it together. "No. You didn't want to talk last night… And I don't want to talk now. I need to get away for a few days. Serena and I are headed to a spa upstate. I've talked to Harry, and I've promised to call him everyday… and bring him back a present for everyday that I'm gone." She tried to smile at their son's negotiating skills, but if fell flat.

"Blair…" He tried again, desperate to make her stay and yet unable to find the words to convince her.

"Please." She stepped forward, placing her hand on his chest and kissing his cheek lightly before brokenly whispering into his ear. "I just need some time to think."

He nodded and somehow he found the fortitude to let her walk away. When had they come to this?

The days passed, and Chuck busied himself with work and a disgruntled Harry. He wasn't sure if he was being a good captain of industry or father at the moment, but he tried harder with the second. Luckily, Harry seemed to understand that they were all in a holding pattern till Blair got back, so like Chuck, he waited. Blair called every night and would talk to Harry at length about his day and about what she had been doing in the country. She and Chuck managed neutral hellos and goodbyes. Chuck had no idea when she was coming home, but he hoped it was soon. He missed her even though he knew their next conversation was one of the most important they had ever had.

About a week after she'd left he got a text from her saying simply, _"I'm at home. Can we talk? B."_

He was walking through their foyer within the half hour. His sharp eyes immediately searched for her and he spotted her sitting, bone straight, on the sofa. She had been waiting for him. He didn't need her to tell him that their home was empty. He knew neither would want witnesses to this, and with the exception of Dorota, they both knew how gossip could be spread by the help.

He walked across the room and instead of taking a seat beside her; he sat on the coffee table so he could face her. They were so close that her knees rested between his. Since he had walked in she couldn't look at him, and she bowed her head as a shield now. Chuck leaned in; resting his elbows on his knees, and was now dipped lower than her and in her eye range.

"I'm angry at you." Chuck felt like he was on Dr. Phil, but it had been what was burning in him since he found out she had kept Harry from him. The rage had faded away, but the anger had stayed.

"I know." They had both felt it and it was poising them.

"Out of all our games… I never thought you'd play it this way… Keeping me from my own son…" He didn't say it bitterly now, but with the question of a man who couldn't understand what he had done to make her do something so drastic.

"I didn't mean to."

"Really? You accidentally passed off my son as my cousin?" He could help the derision that swept into his tone. You don't mean to forget to return a text. You don't mean to bump into someone on the street. You keep a child a secret on purpose.

Blair looked at him with huge brown eyes that glistened with unshed tears. She smiled sadly and shook her head, turning it away from him so he wouldn't see the tear that had slipped down her cheek. Before she could sweep it away, he caught her chin, lifting it, and gently smoothing the offending trail off her perfect skin.

"You're never going to believe me…"

"Try me…" He implored, and he meant it. He vowed that he would try his best to see the truth in whatever Blair said.

She couldn't look at him because she could feel the desperation in his eyes, and she was still afraid that even if after she told him… he still didn't believe her or forgive her. They idea of going through life like that… More tears slipped passed her lashes.

"They whole time I was pregnant… I always thought he was yours. I believed it totally, and when he was born… I just knew. He was our son… I was even going to name him Charles… Charlie…"

Chuck's hands slipped into hers and he squeezed them as she got choked up. After a moment she continued.

"Then I was in the hospital… and Jack showed up. I'd left him forever ago, but there he was. He told me the baby was his… He told me he had DNA tests. He showed me DNA tests!"

She shook her head, her fingers biting into Chuck's. Even now it made her angry.

"I was so gullible. I should have questioned it. I should have had my own tests run… But I didn't. I'm sorry."

Finally Chuck spoke, having to ask. "So… You didn't know then… but you found out a some point…"

"It was a while. I didn't have time to think. I had a new baby. I was on my own in a country on the other side of the world. And life with Jack wa—"

She cut herself off. She wasn't ready to tell Chuck about life with Jack. She didn't think she'd ever be ready to talk to him or anyone else about that time.

She sighed, and looked up at him. "It was about a year after I'd left Jack that I found out. He was fight me on everything during the divorce and it was dragging on. I didn't even know about the standard paternity test Cyrus had run until he came to me with the results."

Her eyes clung to his but Chuck's fathomless eyes were unreadable with the exception of that they were keenly attuned to everything she was saying. "I wanted to come to you! I wanted to tell you straight away! But I was so angry and Jack was in France… so I went to confront him first. Maybe… maybe everything would have been different if I had followed my heart instead of my temper…"

She licked her bottom lip, wetting it, before going on. "It was like he knew I was coming… and he had it all laid out. Dorota and I—"

"Dorota was with you?"

"Yes." Blair said quietly, not explaining that Dorota was one of the few people who knew how Jack had abused her during their marriage, and had followed Blair to confront Jack because she had vowed never to leave her Blair alone with that man again.

"We go to his hotel, and he just… had it all figured out. He'd been Harry's father on paper, if not by blood, his whole life. He would fight me for custody if I tried to tell you the truth. He won that round… I was so in shock… that he would try to take my son… He never cared for Harry! He was never a father to him even when I believe he was his!

"I panicked. I went home. I stayed quiet until the divorce had gone though and I had sole custody of Harry. Once that was set and Jack had gone back to Australia… I thought it was over. I thought it was safe… I was so wrong! He must have had a PI on me… He's a Bass I should have known he had a PI on me… I booked a flight to Manhattan for Harry and myself. All I could think about was telling you… I dropped Harry off at a friend's to play while I ran some errands… they took him to a park… and that's when Jack—"

She choked on the words and started to sob. "That's when Jack took my son!"

Chuck's hands wrapped around the nape of her neck, pulling her closer till their foreheads pressed together.

"I'm a horrible mother!" She cried.

"Shhhh! You're not!" Chuck said adamantly, and he meant it. She was a wonderful mother.

Both were devastated after what they had just told, heard, and gone through. The pain that Blair had buried with this truth was cracking open and releasing all the taint of the past. Chuck felt the explosion and the pain. They both clung to each other. Healing.

What felt like hours later, Blair whispered into Chuck's neck from where her head was tucked against his shoulder.

"There's something else…"

He waited.

"I'm pregnant."

TahDAH! Did you notice how long this chapter was? Longer than my usual style! I would tell you I'm starting a trend, but I hate to lie to you lovely readers. I have a special shout out. This chapter was dedicated to my Favourite Person Of Two Days Ago… ELLEN over on gossipgirlsss! You are awesome and wonderful!


	15. Chapter 15

Hello! Garbage day is a lot of pressure. I grew up in an apartment building and everything just magically disappeared down a chute. And maybe when I was little I'd like to drop glass jars down them from the sixth floor and listen to them go "POP!" at the bottom. Okay so I was twenty when I was doing that. It's the coolest sound in the world. Oh! And in an attempt to remember the good ole days I watched a little season one. You know the ones. Limo. Birthday. Do you know what I noticed? Holy crap Chuck used to actually talk at a normal speed. Now it's like they give him a sentence with three words and the man can drag it out for five minutes. Here we go…

"I'm pregnant."

They had both froze at her words. Blair felt like she wanted to cry, but after the past conversation maybe her tears had run out. Her hands gripped his shirt a little tighter as she waited, deciding the ball was in his court and she would let herself go blank until she could read his reaction. This had been what he had wanted, what she had fought against, and here they were. She waited for him to gloat. To say something snide. He surprised her by saying nothing. Minutes later he was scooping her up in his arms, carrying her to her room and laying her down gently on the bed. He surprised her again by laying at her side.

They lay side by side in the master bed. Afternoon light flooded the room and it cast a warm swath across their still bodies. Not moving. Not touching. They were numb with all that had come out. Chuck lay there flooded with everything. He thought about their lives and the reasons why it had played out the way it had so far. He had always thought he'd been ahead of the game but he was realizing that in some aspects he was running three moves behind.

It seemed like they lay on their backs, eyes locked on the ceiling, forever before one of them broke the silence.

"Remember that day when we were ten… and didn't know where our fathers were?" He spoke to her but didn't move, seeming to address the room.

In the quiet she paused for a moment and then nodded, recalling it easily but still shaken by the memory. "Nate's grandfather had him picked up and taken to their compound before any of us even knew what was going on."

"Serena was still in Europe on an extended summer vacation…" Chuck added

"It was just you and me." Blair said because at the time that was very much how it had felt. Blair's mother had been in Paris at the time, and it had been Dorota who had rushed to the school to secure Blair. In the chaos of parents and nannies scrabbling to get their children, Blair had seen Chuck. He'd sat in the assembly hall where they had all been ushered, and to everyone else it looked like he was unaffected. That he wasn't scared. That he wasn't alone. In that instant she'd known as well as he did that there very well might not be anyone to pick up Charles Bartholomew Bass. At only ten Blair had planted her heals, tugging back on Dorota's hand that she had been clutching, and marched over to the Head Master of St. Jude's.

"Charles Bass is coming with us." She small shoulders had been set back, and her chin had been firmly in the air. She was Blair Waldorf and this was happening.

Chuck had raised a brow and fought the edge of his mouth turning up. He also fought the relief he felt at not having to sit in this place and wait to hear if he was alone. Being Chuck Bass he still had to lodge a protest.

"What makes you think I want to go with you?" He said to Blair insolently even though he was already standing up and slipping his book bag over his shoulder.

"Because you do." Blair said simply and snottily, but it was gone in a heartbeat as she impulsively grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "Please, Chuck?"

They both knew that tone. It wasn't pity that had made her invite him. It had been the need to be near someone dear right now. They both felt it. They had formed a chain all the way to Blair's penthouse with Dorota in the lead, Blair's hand clutched in hers, and Chuck's firmly in Blair's. When they'd gotten there, Dorota had sent both children upstairs and had soon brought them a tray of sandwiches and milk, before disappearing downstairs where she and some other maids were glued to the television.

Alone Blair and Chuck could have turned on the TV and watched their city change, but instead they sat quietly in Blair's closet, for some reason feeling comforted by the familiarity of the space, taking turns trying to call their respective father's cell phones. On any given day their fathers could be at any meeting anywhere in the city. There was no comfort in that right now. The in between times were spent in silence. Their backs rested against a wall of shelves, Chuck's legs were bent in front of him, letting him rest his arms on his knees, and Blair curled her legs to the side. After a while Blair's phone chimed and she answered it quickly, bursting into tears of relief at the sound of her Daddy's voice. He was in Brooklyn for a meeting and while the streets were crazy, he promised to be home as soon as possible. He said that he loved her and she whispered it right back. As she hung up the phone she wiped her tears away, relieved for her father's safety, but not wanting to make Chuck feel worse for still not knowing. She looked at him carefully and saw the fear in his endless brown eyes. She wanted to promise that it would be okay, but instead she'd leaned over, slipping her arms around one of his, hugging it tight and laying her head on his shoulder. They'd had to wait another three hours before they'd heard from Bart.

"You and me." Chuck confirmed with a small smile, lying on their apartment, in what should have been their bed, what seemed like a million years later.

She almost smiled. "Not the for the first time." They had been friends before that day, good friends, but it had gone to another level after that. It had been another bond that tied them ever closer together.

"That was the first day I felt it…" Chuck spoke, as if thinking the same thing.

"Felt what?"

"That Blair Waldorf was my family." He said with an honesty that was almost painful for both of them.

Her eyes shut with a pain that twisted somewhere deep inside of her. "Chuck…"

She should have said more… but for once Blair was at a loss for words.

"You don't think I can forgive you… but I can… I do." He said quietly into the room and her eyes opened to gaze again above them. "Everything that has happened… it's done and we can't change it…"

"Then… where do we go from here?"

He shook his head slightly. "I don't know… but I want us to go together."

Blair's hands had been resting on her stomach, but at his words she very cautiously let her hand slip off her body, and inch towards where his was laying. She slipped her hand into his and Chuck's closed on it like a vice.

"Me too." She whispered.

Not everything was fixed, and not everything was resolved, but there was comfort in knowing that whatever happened in the future they wanted to go through it together. As always Chuck and Blair knew they wanted each other. They just had to figure everything else out.

An hour later they were still lying there, staring up at the ceiling, when they heard the small footsteps tread across the floor. They both turned their heads and smiled as they saw Harry standing beside the bed in his school uniform.

"What are you doing?" He asked incredulously, clearly confused at having found both his parents lying on their bed before it was nighttime.

"Taking a nap…"

"But you're big." He pointed out like they were idiots, and then he frowned at them because he was a Bass and it felt like they were keeping a secret. "And you're awake."

Chuck's solution was to shut his eyes. Blair's was to change the subject.

"Harry, how would you like to go to Serendipity for dinner tonight?" She asked as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. It was then that she noticed she was still holding Chuck's hand and she quickly let go and folded hers in her lap.

"Can I have anything I want?" He asked, sensing that for some reason he had bargaining power.

One of Blair's eyebrows quirked up. "Within reason." She said, but already knew both she and Chuck would let him order whatever he wanted at the moment. They both still felt raw and making Harry happy felt like a salve.

"Crepes for dinner?" He asked as on of his hands slipped behind him and he scratched himself.

"Fine." Blair agreed and then frowned at him. "Harry, stop that."

"But my butt is itchy?" Harry told them confused.

"Go and wash your hands. Then go and changed for dinner." Blair told him as she got up from the bed and headed for her closet, wanting to change herself. "Can you do that or do you need help?"

"I can do it!" Harry said insolently, one because he liked to pick his own clothes, and two because he still didn't know when it was okay to scratch his butt.

Chuck stretched on the bed and then sat up in front of his son.

"Daddy… I gotta question."

Chuck sighed. "When you're alone… which there is a long list of things that you should only do when you're alone… some of them will have to wait till you're older… and some of them we'll revisit and I'll tell you to forget when you're older still." Chuck smiled slyly.

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Chuck said standing up and taking his son's small hand. "Lets go pick out something to wear."

"Purple?" He asked hopefully.

"That's my boy." Chuck said with pride.

They were almost out of the room when Chuck looked back over his shoulder at the closet. It was as if she felt him waiting and she appeared in the doorway, clad only in her slip. He looked at her and nodded. She nodded back. For the moment it was enough. For the moment they moved on.

TahDAH! Okay so there was a little more Harry in there for all the Harry lovers! If you hate spoilers and haven't seen the preview for Monday stop reading now… Are you gone? Okay here I go… Are you braced for Monday? It looks intense! Scares my little Chair heart with just hearing the debates going on.


	16. Chapter 16

Hello! We're almost to the end of this season… and we're almost to the end of this fic! Oh, and by the way… I hate her, I still hate Eva SOOOO much! I was killing time on youtube and there was a clip of Eva and Blair… I watched. I didn't even make it through the whole thing. GAWD! HATE HER! Is this how some of you feel about Louis? Dan? My sympathies! Oh, and I had a wicked lisp as a child, crazy amounts of speech therapy that were luckily very successful, but the word "sympathy" still fs me up. Unless I concentrate it comes out "thympathy". Tragic really. Here we go…

The limo was quiet as they made their way back home from the restaurant. Harry had fallen asleep at the table and his father had carried him out to the car. Blair's heart had twisted as she walked out behind them, seeing Harry's head rest against Chuck's shoulder, his little arms hanging around his father. She wanted this. She wanted Chuck. She wanted their family. She hadn't lied to Chuck. Wherever they were going she wanted it to be together.

Climbing into the car she watch Chuck slip Harry into his booster seat between them. After buckling him in Harry's head turned and he slouched against his father. They were quiet after Blair signaled Arthur to drive them home, and the lights cast dancing shadows as they traveled along the dark Manhattan streets. With a stretch and a yawn, Harry twisted in his seat until his head rested on her lap and his hands were tucked under his chin. Blair smiled down at him, stroking his dark hair and gently rubbing his shoulder until finally she let her hand rest on his side. She was surprised when Chuck's hand wrapped around hers and her eyes flew up to meet the intense gaze that was locked on her. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed her fingers. She licked her bottom lip as he lowered their interlocked hands back to rest on the boy between them. She said nothing, but she squeezed his hand back.

Getting home, Chuck carried Harry up to his room, and then together they stripped and changed him into his pajamas. He didn't wakeup once and as Chuck pulled the covers over him, he glanced across the bed at Blair and smiled. "He sleeps like you."

Blair rolled her eyes but smiled as she turned off the bedside light. She was used to Chuck teasing her about how deeply and how much she could sleep. She watched Chuck lean down and gently kiss Harry's head, and when he was through, she bent in to kiss his soft cheek before straightening and meeting Chuck by the door. They slipped out of the room, shutting the door softly, and were left alone, standing awkwardly in the lit hallway. It was a stalemate. It was also two combatants who were trying to lower their arms. Blair made the first move.

Reaching out she took his hand and their eyes met. Without a word she led him into the master suite, and shut the door behind them.

This set the pattern for the next few weeks. It was easy to be around each other. They spent time with Harry during the days. Taking him to school, to the park, to music lessons, or just meals together at home and around the city. At night, after Harry was asleep, Chuck and Blair would give in to their craving for each other. At first they had been almost wordless encounters, with the exception of choice screaming of names, the sex talk had come next… until the times grew when the would lay in each others arms, relaxed and satisfied, and talk. Chuck would talk about work and his day. Blair would offer suggestions on different deals and locations. He knew she had an eye for style, and had rarely been off point in the past, so he listened and took note. In return Blair talked about being at loose ends. She was a woman of drive, and she'd been out of work and longed to get back on a path. While they had started to talk about the craziness of her life that had prevented her from moving up career wise, they did so tentatively. However there was something they didn't talk about. Something they never talked about.

They didn't talk about it. They didn't talk about the child that was growing inside of her. Chuck didn't know where to begin and Blair didn't know how it would end, so they did what Blair had spent her youth doing… pretending like it wasn't there. There were moments when it came through, like at a party one evening when Blair was offered champagne and almost reached for a glass before waving them away. Or when he walked into the kitchen and she was chasing down a pre-natal vitamin with a glass of orange juice. Each time neither of them said anything… until this morning.

Chuck usually was up, dressed, and downstairs for coffee and the paper long before Blair's eyes even opened. Today he had uncharacteristically slept in. In fact he didn't even wake up on his own, because it had been Blair lurching up in the bed that had stirred him, and her rapid flight to the bathroom had brought him fully awake. He lay in the bed for a moment and heard her retching. He was unsure if she would want him there or not, but he got up from the bed and went to the bathroom anyway.

When he got there he stood in the doorway and looked down on where she now lay sprawled beside the toilet. Saying nothing he wet a washcloth and came to sit down by her head. He quietly ran the cloth over her clammy face, and she wiggled over to rest her head in his lap.

"You shouldn't be here." She spoke despite the fact that her actions clearly let him know she wanted him there.

"Yes, I should." He said with a very small quirk of his mouth.

She almost smiled, but instead she let her head roll so that her cheek was on his thigh, and she wasn't looking at him. He grew tense.

"I'm sorry you don't want this baby…"

She shot up from his lap and frowned at him. "When have I ever said I don't want this baby?"

He just looked at her and she sighed before speaking. "After how my pregnancy with Harry went… I wanted it to be different the next time. I wanted to be in a healthy committed relationship… I wanted to plan for the baby… I just… didn't want to be alone this time."

"What are you saying?" He asked, wanting it to be clear for both of them.

"I'm saying I want this baby. Chuck, if I really hadn't wanted to get pregnant, don't you think there are ways I could have gotten around you? I could have gotten an IUD… the morning after pill… but I think I knew on some level… I wanted you to win."

They were quiet for a moment.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you really want this baby… or was it just part of the game?"

He looked down at her with penetratingly intense eyes. "I want this baby. I love Harry and I wish I'd been able to be with him from the beginning."

He stopped her before she tried to apologize again. They were past it. "I want to be there for everything with our next baby."

"Really? Everything?"

"We're in this together, Waldorf."

She smiled but it turned into a grimace. "Good! Then grab my hair!"

Chuck got his first real taste of what being there for everything meant. He held her hair back as she threw her guts up into the bowl.

The following week they went together for their first ultrasound, and Chuck only made a few lewd comments about her in a paper slip. The jokes stopped as they heard the steady strum of their child's heartbeat, and then saw the images move across the screen. His hand tightened on hers and she squeezed his back.

It was also a secret they kept between each other. They were both cautious about telling others because they wanted to wait until Blair was in her second trimester before they said anything. When they were given the all clear they knew who the first person they wanted to tell was.

"What?" Harry scowled at them.

"You're going to be a big brother." Blair smiled encouragingly.

Chuck slouched back. He could already tell by his son's expression that this was not going well.

"No." Harry said petulantly.

"Harry." Blair chastised.

"Sorry." He grumbled. "I meant… No, thank you."

"What do you mean, 'no, thank you'?" She asked not expecting this reaction at all. Children his age were supposed to love getting a sibling… weren't they?

"I don't wanna baby. They're loud and they smell and they always got stuff coming out of them." He said with great authority.

Chuck smirked a little because he had to admit… it was what he had thought of babies until he'd thought of having one with Blair. Blair caught Chuck's reaction and her nails sunk into his thigh in warning. Chuck flinched and sat up, knowing he'd have to help out here or be punished by Blair later… and not the kind of punishment he liked.

"Harry, you may not want a baby brother or sister now… but when you get older you'll be glad to have them. Look at Aunt Serena and Uncle Eric…"

Harry's brow creased as he thought about his father's words and then his eyes went wide and he looked disgusted. "It could be a girl? Ewwwww!"

"Harry!"

"I want a dog." Harry said standing up and stomping one small foot.

"You're not getting a dog." Chuck rolled his eyes. If he'd never let Blair bring Handsome home, he wasn't about to start now. He hated getting fur on his suits.

"Fine. If I can't get a dog, you can't get a baby."

"Harry!" Blair snapped losing her patience with a son that was too much like herself sometimes. "This is NOT a negotiation! We are having a baby, and you will just have to get used to it."

After laying down that gauntlet, mother and son stared each other down before the boy exploded.

"NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!" And then ran from the room, making sure to stomp his feet every step of the way.

Drained, Blair slumped back onto the couch and looked over at Chuck. He raised a brow and his mouth quirked down.

"Hmm… That went well…"

TahDAH! Does anyone really think a child of Blair's would take getting a sibling well? I didn't. Oh, and you know what makes me sad? All the hate going on in the GG fandom right now. There seems to be a lot of negativity about what went on and we all have our own opinions of it. The writers wrote what they did, and I don't think they're plan is to sweep anything under the rug. I want to watch and see how it all plays out. I don't think personal attacks or name calling accomplishes anything. I believe in voicing opinion, but you can do that without being a jerk.


	17. Chapter 17

Hello! Lately I've been sticking my head out into the fandom a little more… and nearly got it bitten off on Twitter. Usually I stick with my fics and like one site. Twitter? WTF? You need to bring your A game there. And what is with the hate? I don't know if you could tell… but I'm a Chair? GASP! I know! Shocking! But I don't hate on Dair and I don't hate Dair fans. The heart wants what it wants. I WISH there was less rivalry between ships but I get it, because when one is the focus the other isn't. I will say this. I think no matter how well a triangle takes off and how the writers play off that, at the end of the day, the writers still have their favourite. I saw this with OTH. Massive triangle with Brooke/Peyton/Lucas. At the end of the day, for the writers, I think it was always Peyton and Lucas. This is kind of my feeling with CBD. At the end of the day… I'd be shocked if Dair were end game. But that's just me. I'm totally cool with people thinking I'm wrong. Speaking of what I can control… my fic! Here we go…

"Are you in position?" Blair said tensely into her cell.

She paused listening to excuses.

"You have two minutes, and god help you if you see a butterfly or a boy flit by and you decide to chase him."

Blair rolling her eyes accompanied the next pause.

"Yes, yes, I know… you're a romantic. A romantic that better have her lifted bottom at the corner in the next thirty sec—"

Blair smiled happily. "You're there? Perfect! Now don't move!"

Hanging up her phone, Blair grabbed a pair of binoculars to scope out their front door. It was rather moot given they were parked in a limo across the street, but Blair bit her lip as she zoomed in on the ornate doors of their apartment. A half hour and three whining texts about the cold later from Serena, the Basses saw their doorman, Miles, hold open the heavy door for their disgruntled son.

"Of course." Blair rolled her eyes. "Only your son would run away from home in a suit and bowtie."

Harry nodded to Miles and then began to determinedly pull his small, wheeled suitcase down the street, with his favourite toy airplane tucked under his arm.

"You know… we could have just told Miles to not open the door for him. The boy weighs three pounds soaking wet. That would have slowed him down for hours."

Blair was ignoring Chuck as she kept the binoculars trained on Harry. "And then the second we turned our back he'd be in the park, trying to buy a playground as his new home. No, this is better."

Blair breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Serena "bump" into Harry. The staged run in really was an under appreciated art form, Blair thought as she watched Serena act surprised, and while she couldn't hear it, as per the script, Serena was offering to take Harry to lunch before he ran away. Serena had specific instructions to fill his head with how much she loved being a big sister and how she was incredibly grateful her parents had brought him into her life. Okay the last part was just because of Blair's insistence and her desire for her son not to hate her. Blair kept her sights aimed on the duo as they started to disappear down the street.

Chuck slouched back in the limo and wished he could pour himself a drink, but he had the feeling Blair would kill him. Instead he folded his hands across his chest and watched his wife execute her current plan. Actually he began to watch something else. As she sat ramrod straight in her seat, her clothes tightened against her stomach, which perfectly showed off her growing bulge. Correction. Their growing bulge.

He couldn't help himself and he reached out and let his hand slide onto the soft round of her belly and ever so gently squeeze. Blair's breath caught and she looked down to the elegantly masculine fingers of her husband's hand that now massaged her. Setting the binoculars aside, Blair leaned back in the seat so her shoulder rested against his, and let her head roll to the side to look at him.

It seemed to grow incredibly quiet in the back of the limo, with nothing but their breathing moving through the air. Blair's eyes stayed locked on Chuck's face. Chuck's eyes stayed focused on the swell of her stomach as he slowly pulled her shirt from the waist of her skirt until his hand could come flush against her soft skin. Blair's breath skipped out of her at the little shockwaves his touch always brought, as well as the sensation of his hot hand on her skin.

"Do you think… it will look exactly like Harry?" Chuck asked softly.

Blair smiled, liking and more than willing to imagine what their future child would look like when it was born. "I think he or she… will look one hundred percent like itself. Maybe that's just like Harry… or maybe that's different pieces of us…"

Her hand slid over his an up to run patterns with her fingers along the back of wrist. "Dark hair, naturally… I hope your skin… Like… the way it turns golden under just a little sun… and maybe the Bass blue eyes will get in there…"

"No." Chuck said firmly. "Your eyes. The Bass blue eyes… are cold and hard. This baby will have the Waldorf eyes. Dark and flashing."

Blair's smile grew bigger and Chuck's eyes locked on her face. "Dimples. And the baby will have your dimples."

If possible her dimples grew deeper as the spoke quietly and reverently of the child to come. He'd touched her a million times before, but there was something so intimate in his exploration of her rounding centre that made her weak against the leather of the seats. Her head fell close to his so that her brow nuzzled against his. Chuck finally raised his eyes to look at her and it was like there was a fire between them.

"Chuck…" She whispered a second before his lips claimed hers and his hand came up to clasp her breast.

Hours later Chuck and Blair stood outside Harry's room. Both were in a state of agitation. Both were pitted against each other. Earlier in the evening after taking him out to dinner, Serena had brought Harry home after their "impromptu" talk. Chuck and Blair had been sitting pensively in the living room waiting for him, thinking of all the things they wanted to say but being speechless when Serena had walked him back in, and he'd looked at them with big sad eyes, mumbled an apology for scaring them.

Finding her voice Blair had suggested Harry go to his room and think about how dangerous it was to run away. It had caught in her throat because his eyes had filled with tears and his head had dropped for a second, but as he turned and walked up the stairs, his small chin was in the air.

So now, here his parents stood outside his room and with no idea what to do next.

"You should talk to your son." Blair said putting great authority into her voice.

Chuck's eyes narrowed. "Of course he's my son right now…"

"That's right. Now get in there!" She said like a coach getting her star player ready for a big game. "And if you can convince him not to hate us you get me, your favourite La Perla set, warm honey and the roof tonight."

Chuck closed his mind for a second at the image. "You play dirty, Waldorf."

"And that's just how you like it." She smiled wickedly at him before she snapped from seductress to commander, slapping him on the shoulder and making a break for their room. "Now get to it!"

Chuck scowled for a second before slowly opening the door to Harry's room. For a moment Chuck just looked at his son, who lay on his back and stared up at the planes hanging from the ceiling of his room. Saying nothing, Chuck came over and lay down beside his son, and both just looked up at the ceiling for a long time.

"It won't be so bad."

"Uh huh…"

Silence again.

"Daddy…"

"Yeah…"

"Why do you need another baby?"

Chuck thought for a moment. "It's not that we need another baby… it's that we think there's room for another person in our family."

Harry opened his mouth quickly, but Chuck cut him off. "Not a dog."

Harry's mouth snapped shut.

"Harry… your mother and I love you so much. No matter what, that is never going to change. You don't have to want a brother or sister overnight… but I'd like you to try and imagine the good things about being a big brother. I didn't grow up with brothers or sisters… and I missed it. I want it for you. So will you please try?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Chuck saw the boy nod.

"I love you, Harry." Chuck said softly as he got up. He kissed the boy's head and started for the door. He was almost shutting it behind him when he heard the soft grumbled words, "I love you too."

When he walked back into the master bedroom and didn't find Blair, just a note that said to bring honey, he smiled in anticipation. He was just passing through the foyer with the honey when he heard the voice call out from the living room.

"You shouldn't have. You know I only take sugar in my coffee… what am I saying… I'm on my third scotch."

Chuck froze and his grip tightened on the jar, and he bit out the name of the man he hated most in the world.

"Jack."

TahDAH! Okay, this was a throw in chapter. I just felt like writing it. Hope you enjoyed it! And… Oh, my god. SEE Bridesmaids! SOOOOOOO funny!


	18. Chapter 18

Hello. You all might be very lucky. I have a clusterf*ck of symptoms that are highly annoying, super uncomfortable at best, and painful at worst. What does the doctor say? Extreme stress. He recommended light exercise and rest. Don't get me started on how I'm supposed to do light exercise… and rest. What I do know is that writing relaxes me, so while I try to take back my body… you all get the benefit of me perhaps writing more. Oh, and one of my symptoms is a tremor in my right hand that also leads it to cramp. You'll all be even more forgiving of typos than usual, right? Of course you will! For those of you who haven't watched the finale yet, skip the author's note at the end because I'm going to say a couple of things there. Here we go…

She was going to kill him. She shivered under her thin robe as she came down the stairs from the private access to their rooftop garden. She had been up there forty-five minutes waiting for Chuck in his very favourite lingerie, which happened to be made up of very little fabric. She was freezing and pissed off.

She found him sitting in the darkened living room with a drink in his hand. For a minute she was caught off guard by the pensive expression on his face.

"Chuck?" She spoke his name questioningly.

He seemed to snap out of it when he heard his name, but he looked up at her like he didn't recognize her. Then she saw a flash of annoyance in his gaze and that only served to remind her why she would want to kill him and not vice versa.

"Where the hell have you been?" She demanded.

"Something came up." He said distantly as he stood up and tossed back his drink.

"Clearly not you, since I've been on the roof freezing my parts off."

"Why don't you just go upstairs… run a bath… and I'll be up in a few minutes." Chuck said smoothly, walking over to her and running his fingers slowly up and down the flesh of her upper arms in a way they both knew made her knees weak. For a second it worked its charm, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head. Then she slapped his hands away.

"What an excellent idea." She smiled coolly. "I will run a bath. A bath I will be talking alone."

Chuck stood in the same spot and watched Blair storm away. Then he poured himself another drink.

Blair went upstairs and ran her bath. She locked the door for good measure, but was prepared to open it up upon his proper contrite begging. She was also going to make sure she got at least a pair of earrings out of it. She ended up just having an uninterrupted bath. By the time she'd bathed, creamed and powered herself, brushed her teeth, and combed out her long dark hair, she'd been sure Chuck would be waiting for her in bed.

It was empty when she walked back into the master. Blair could tell something was up with him, and she wanted to go down and pester him into answering, but after the long day and now even longer evening, she was exhausted. She let scotch be his solution tonight, and as she slipped her sleep mask on she just hoped he'd come to bed soon. She didn't think she'd sleep well till he was with her.

She slept like a log.

Even with the curtains drawn she could feel the warmth of the sun behind the drapes. It felt delicious and she would have snuggled deeper into the cover but the pressing need to pee grabbed her. Throwing the covers back, she stumbled blindly to the bathroom, relieving herself, washing her hands, and making it back into bed without even removing her mask. It's a skill she'd had since she was seven. The only time it backfired was when she wasn't in a bedroom that was her own and she awoke disoriented. Chuck still sometimes teased her about how she'd nearly peed in his walk-in closet when he first got the Empire.

She sighed contentedly as she settled back into the blankets. One of her small feet stretched out seekingly, and she gave up when she felt nothing but cool sheets. It wasn't unusual for Chuck to be up before her, but Blair had a feeling he hadn't come to bed. Not wanting to worry herself out of her attempt at going back to sleep, she put him out of her head. She should have known about that time the other man in her life would rear his little head.

Blair heard the door to the master bedroom click open and the quick pad of small feet. She held her breath trying to guess at the time. If it was still early he would just cuddle in. If it were later she'd be nagged into getting up. Luck was on her side and she felt the bed dip slightly as he scrambled up and burrowed under the blankets with her. Harry nudged her shoulder so she'd roll onto her back and then he climbed into her arms, resting his sweaty head just under her chin, and his hand reached up into her hair to play with a lock like he had since he was a baby. For the next hour they dozed that way until they both started to wake up some more. Blair stroked his dark hair back from his face and smiled to herself. She could not believe how much she loved this little boy.

"Mama… you're kind of fat." Harry said in that way that children have of making true observations that we beat out of them through the hopeful establishment of social graces. With this child it was going to take a sledgehammer.

"I'm not fat." Blair bit out as she desperately tried to remember why she loved him.

"Okay… but it looks like you're getting fat." He argued as he poked at the swell of her stomach.

"Harold Bass, for the millionth time… I am not fat or even getting fat." She said scowling and pushing her mask up onto her hair.

"Your belly looks fat."

"That's not fat. That's your baby brother or sister."

"You told me the baby was in your belly…"

"Yes."

"But your bum is getting bigger too?" He asked innocently.

"Just for that I hope you have a sister, and I hope she steals all your toys."

"Mama! That is the meanest thing you ever said to me." He said indignantly, pushing himself up onto his knees to look down at his mother.

"You'll live." She rolled her eyes. As he continued to scowl at him she snatched a pillow from beside her and gently hit him in the face with it.

"Hey!" He cried, but started laughing as she tackled him over in the bed to tickle him. "Mama! Stop it!"

As the tickle attack subsided the lay on their sides facing each other and smiled at on another. Harry suddenly frowned again.

"Mama? How did the baby get in your belly?"

Just then Chuck walked into the room and they both looked up at him.

"On that note…" Blair said getting up from the bed and addressing Chuck. "I'll leave you to answer that."

An hour later Blair came out of the bathroom to see Chuck doing up a fresh shirt. She'd noted when he came in that he'd been in the same clothes as last night, but she said nothing as she moved to her own closet to select her outfit. They said nothing as they finished dressing, until Blair sat at her vanity putting on her earrings and Chuck came up behind her to check and straighten his tie.

"So… how did the talk go?" Blair asked trying to break the growing wall of silence. She knew he was all in his head at the moment, but she wanted to drill a hole.

Chuck actually managed to crack a smile. "I expected him to be… a little grossed out."

"I take it he wasn't?"

"Fascinated more like."

"Chuck." Blair cautioned. "He's still little. You kept it to the basics, correct?"

"Basic enough that it gets him off our back for a little while, but without the lies. I didn't go the stork route."

Blair nodded. Knowing Harry he'd later throw a fit when he found out that they'd lied. Better to tell him a started kit on procreation and expand later when he was older. They fell back into silence as the left the bedroom. Chuck offered Blair his arm as they headed down the stairs, and she took it quietly until they reached the main floor and he held her chair out for her at the dining room table.

"Harry has a birthday party at eleven."

"I know." Chuck said distantly as he sat in his chair.

Blair sighed. "Are you ever going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said as he opened the business section of the paper in front of him, blocking her view.

"Fine. If you're going to lie then maybe it's best we do just stay silent."

Chuck lowered his paper and opened his mouth to comment, but shut it as he saw she'd put up the Arts section, cutting him off. The silence continued as the finished breakfast and got Harry ready to go. Blair couldn't help but notice that Chuck suddenly seemed nervous about letting Harry go to a party where parents only really came in for the last hour. When he ordered a second security guard for Harry, Blair grew even more on edge and had no idea why. After they dropped Harry off they went their separate ways. She went to meet Serena and Lily for lunch and he headed straight for the office to deal and brood. At two o'clock sharp he was back at the party to pick his boy up. Other parents had already started to arrive and his hawk eyes scanned the shorter guests for his son. He spotted Harry who seemed to be having an animated discussion with the birthday girl. It was clearly deteriorating when he heard Harry demand a third piece of cake and the girl tell him no. Not one to beg, Harry stomped his foot and reached out and pulled a lock of her hair. She kicked him in the shin.

"Harry!" Chuck called firmly when it looked like Harry was going to push the little girl into the remainder of the cake.

Harry's eyes snapped to his father, but he looked back at the girl and shouted his parting shot.

"Just for that… one day you're gonna want me to put my penis in you and I won't! Ha!" Turning on his heel he ran to his father and jumped into his arms.

The shocked eyes of every parent in the room zoned in on Chuck Bass, who merely smiled at raise a brow. "Fun party. If you'll excuse us…"

They were in the limo on their way home when his phone rang. Seeing it was Blair he picked it up.

"Hey. I've got Harry from the part—"

She cut him off. "You should have told me."

It was all she said before she hung up the phone.

TahDAH! I do not get the debate? The who's pregnant debate and the who's the father debate. To me? There is only Blair and Chuck. If it were Eleanor or Dorota? Who cares? We've had Dorota pregnant. A couple of pregnancy stories. She had the baby. We've seen it once. Done. Eleanor? She lives in France. We hardly ever see her so what would be the point of having Eleanor pregnant? The more realistic debate would be Blair and Serena. Serena? It's been a while for the girl hasn't it? And I maintain they are not having her have a kid with a random. Ben was a random. If Serena had hooked up with Nate, Dan or even Chuck recently… I would totally think she was a possibility, but she hasn't, so she's out. My money is still solidly on Blair, and I say again… they would not have her pregnant by a random. If she had hooked up with Dan and Chuck… Then I wouldn't make bets on who the Daddy was. There are also a lot of places to go with her being pregnant… hence my new little fic Slip. I just say… I can't believe it could be anything other than Blair being pregnant with Chuck's baby.


	19. Chapter 19

Hello! Okay… I love ice cream. L. O. V. E. I had Cold Stone tonight for the first time in forever… and it was AMAZING. Chocolate Cake Batter ice cream is like… perfection. It might even get a shout out in this chapter. In Canada you find Cold Stone in Tim Horton's which conbine two of my great loves. Ice Cream and doughnuts. Mmmm. If I could eat those things every day and not be 300lbs... I totally would. Who needs vegetables? NOT me! Here we go…

Chuck paced the length of the foyer. He was going to kill her. Correction. He was going to lock her up, wait till she had the baby, mother their two children, grow old, and then he was going to kill her… if she didn't kill him first.

After she'd hung up on him, he'd immediately called her back, and when she didn't pick up he was about to utter at cast iron threat onto her voicemail when he realized he was under the very watchful eye of his son, so instead he just hissed "I'll see you soon."

He should have known.

Chuck had taken Harry home and took him upstairs for a swim. He'd known that there was no way she was going to scurry in anytime soon, but he'd thought she'd have been home by dinner. Dinner came and went with Harry and he alone at the table. Harry only asked eight times where his mother was before settling for pushing his vegetables round on his plate and scowling.

Later still he was trying to convince an uncooperative Harry that he needed to take a bath even though he'd been swimming today, which his son pronounced was equal to a bathing once today already. He had the squirming boy gripped in his arms, Harry hanging upside down, as Chuck now tried to remove his clothes. He had managed to grasp one sock when Dorota walked into the bathroom with her cell phone.

She made no comment about Chuck's out of breath and agitated state as he put a triumphant Harry down on his feet… minus only one sock.

Dorota held out her phone to Harry. "Mr. Harry, is Mama for you."

"Mama!" Harry grabbed the phone. "Where are you? I think Daddy is mad at you… but I'm not mad at you, so come home…"

Harry's voice trailed off as he walked into his bedroom leaving Chuck in the bathroom straining to hear the conversation. He glanced up a second later to see the slight raise in his wife's most trusted maid's eyebrow.

"I don't suppose if I told you to give Harry his bath… you'd do it?" Chuck relaxed his jaw as he leaned back against the sink, and casually waved a hand towards the bath.

"Ms. Blair give me rest of night off." She said with a hint of a mocking smile. Okay, he thought, big surprise, Dorota is Team Blair. Kill her. Blair, that is. Dorota he would need to keep around to feed Harry.

A few moments later a buck naked Harry Bass sauntered into the bathroom and handed back the phone. "Thanks, Dorota. Mama said to get in the bath and stop being obstintate."

"Obstinate." Chuck corrected in irritation over his son's quick obedience to his other parent.

"That's what I said." Harry grumbled and then climbed into the bath and sat down, rubbing his butt against the floor of the tub and snickering at the sounds it made.

Chuck rolled his eyes at his son's lowbrow amusement before he looked over at Dorota.

Dorota didn't so much take pity on him as she did pass on information Blair had wanted leaked to him anyway. "She say she maybe come home tomorrow. She say marriage is based on communication, which made difficult when married to stubborn ass—"

"That will be all, Dorota." Chuck cut off.

With Harry busy in the water, Chuck whipped out his phone and hit 1 on his speed dial. "Come home." He commanded.

Needless to say… she did not come home.

So now he paced.

With every lap of the foyer he grew more irritated. He of course knew exactly where his wife was. His PIs had kept him informed for the past few hours that after leaving the Gramercy Tavern with Serena and Lily, she was hold up at Serena's apartment and not looking like she was coming home anytime soon.

Harry had come to creep down the stairs well after his father had put him to sleep. Wearing only his pink silk pajamas he sat down and watched his father pace from between the bars.

Chuck wanted her home. Jack was on the loose and he wanted them all here, under one roof and safe. He kept telling himself that she was fine, she was brilliant and strong, and she could take care of herself… he still wanted her home. Now. Much like the cockroach he was, his uncle had slipped back into the cracks. It didn't stop Chuck from anxiously waiting with a raised shoe.

Holding out his hands to Harry, he said. "Lets go get your mother."

Harry had scampered over to him and away they went. They were at Serena's within a half hour, and Chuck passed Harry to a none too surprised Serena as he headed straight for the master bedroom, knowing that Blair and Serena would crash together to talk till they fell asleep. He walked into the bedroom to find her lying across Serena's bed and flipping through a magazine. She sat up as he stood angrily at the door.

She looked at him with mutinous eyes.

He looked at her with an intensity that only he could produce and he bit out every word. "We don't do this anymore. I don't run. You don't leave. Ever again."

Her eyes widened fractionally and she gave a small single nod. Not saying anything Blair rose from the bed in her slip and walked over to a chair where her dress was laid out. Chuck's eyes followed the slope of her back and the curve of her hips as she shifted the dress over her head. With her back still to him she pulled her hair over one shoulder and waited. Familiar with his cue he moved to stand behind her and ran his hands slowly down his back to the base of her zipper. For a moment his warm palms rested on her hips and they stood there with held breath.

"You should have told me." She said again.

Chuck pressed his nose into her shoulder. "I know."

"He just showed up at lunch… sat right down with Lily, Serena and I… I needed some warning—"

"I'm sorry…" He broke in and his hands tightened momentarily on her hip.

"—To prepare."

The both stopped and felt the very little space between them right now. Chuck turned his head slightly and kissed the heated side of her neck. He knew she was right. She didn't like to ever talk about Jack, and maybe he had kept the news of Jack's release from prison a secret out of spite. Partially he didn't think she wanted to discuss how money could buy you out of almost anything, and partially he might have some residual anger that he now had to let go of. Taking a deep breath he grasped the zipper and slowly pulled it up.

She turned and they were face-to-face, so close there was only they. Her dark eyes were wide and open and he could sense there was more she wished to say… but she shoved it away as she managed a smile for him.

"Let's go home, Bass." Was all Blair said in the end.

They walked out into the living room and followed Serena's voice to the kitchen. There they found Harry on the island, shoveling Chocolate Cake Batter ice cream into his face while his guilty looking aunt tried to atone.

"I told him no…"

"How'd that work out for you?" Blair said with a raised brow.

Then took the sugar junky home, but with the knowledge that Jack was lurking about they both felt the need to keep the boy close, so the brought him to their room. Harry lay in the centre of his parent's bed and watched them both as they moved around the room and changed into their sleeping clothes. A drowsy smile played across his lips when he saw his Daddy come out of his closet in a set of pink silk pajamas that matched his own, before he headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth. His smile grew a little when he saw that Blair had spotted her family and selected a long silk slip of similar tone to sleep in tonight. That was all Harry noticed before he fell asleep.

Chuck and Blair finished up, and climbed in on either side of the boy. The room was dark except for the streetlight coming in the partially closed drapes and for a while they just lay there. They felt strong and safe together, and yet neither could sleep. Chuck lay on his back with his hands folded across his chest, staring at the ceiling. Blair curled on her side towards them and looked at father and son in profile. A little smile played across her lips.

"What…" Chuck said with a cast of his eyes but not moving his head.

"Nothing…" She said coyly.

"Waldorf…"

"Fine." She smiled. "I was just playing the game again in my head… The 'What will the new baby look like' game…"

Chuck smiled liking talk of the baby and liking this game. He had a feeling they would play it many more times over the next few months. It was also a further pressure release for the day.

"And…" He murmured.

"Hmm…" Blair responded thinking what would be nice. "I was thinking about our wish list… Whatever we have if it has your jaw I hope it has your nose. A strong jaw needs a strong nose and my perfectly petite nose could never pull off your jaw."

"Maybe if your perfect little nose didn't spend so much time in the air… it just might be able to pull off my jaw…" Chuck teased.

Blair raised an eyebrow in the dark. "Very well… If you're going to play that way…" She stretched an arm out over Harry's head and gently ran a finger over the shell of Chuck's ear before clasping it gently. "In that case… I do hope your ears are recessive. We managed to escape Harry having them… fingers crossed with the next baby."

Chuck scowled a little at her slight of his ears. He rolled his eyes as he looked over at hers and drawled. "Maybe if Harry had been born with my ears… you would have known he was my son sooner…"

With a gasp, Blair's hand tightened on his ear and she twisted it sharply. She was rewarded by his yelp of pain before she let go.

"Too soon?" He quizzed without rancor as he rubbed the abused appendage.

"Too soon."

The next morning Blair had left for an early morning yoga before Chuck had come downstairs. While he had always loved and encouraged her practice of yoga, it was usually with for the benefit of her increased flexibility and stamina… which was still true, only now her yogi had started to concentrate their sessions on preparing her body for labour. As far as Chuck was concerned it killed two birds with one stone.

When Chuck did come down he walked into the dining room for coffee and found his paper lay out by his chair. A moment after he sat down Dorota bustled in with a hot cup of espresso for him.

"Good morning, Dorota." He said taking it from her.

"Good morning, Mr. Chuck." Dorota smiled having been glad to find Blair at home when she'd come to work that morning. Her days got very long when Ms. Blair and Mr. Chuck fought.

Chuck was deep in his paper and Dorota was headed out of the room before he spoke again.

"Oh, and Dorota, just so you're aware… there are extra guards throughout the building and both Nigel and Damon will escort you taking Harry to school."

Dorota nodded not thinking too much about it until Chuck continued. "With Jack in town… we can't be too careful."

Dorota froze. "Jack is here?"

"Unfortunately."

At the sudden silence Chuck dropped the paper and was taken off guard by the look on the maid's face.

"Dorota?"

Dorota looked torn. She'd made promises to Blair to keep silent, and she would, but she couldn't help the terror that shook her. "Mr. Chuck… you make sure Ms. Blair is safe too, yes?"

"Of course." He promised. "Dorota… what's going on?"

She sighed, trying to think of a way to explain this. "Mr. Chuck… You are good man. Strong man… like my Vanya. You think you are weak… but I see you grow from boy to man… and I know you are the match for my Blair. That you would never hurt her… in way that weak man does…"

Chuck leaned forward and his body was very tense as he listened.

"Your uncle was very weak man… and he did things only weak men do to their wives…"

"What are you saying?" He bit out but he was already getting an idea.

"I'm saying… talk to Ms. Blair… but most importantly… keep her safe from Jack."

The heat of the yoga studio latched onto Blair's muscles as she rested in Child's pose. Her yogi had left her in contemplation where she was meant to clear her mind and loosen her chakras or something to that affect, but as usually Blair was running through her to-do list for the rest of the day. She heard the studio door open and thought it was her yogi back with some water. She should have known at the tread of soled shoes that it wasn't the barefooted bender. She felt someone kneel behind her and slide hands up her back to her neck. She was about to turn to glance over her shoulder when they tightened.

Her world spun and the one thing that screamed through her head was the knowledge that there was only one set of hands that had ever held her this harshly.

"Hello, Mrs. Bass…"

TahDAH! I know some people have trepidations over next season, but lets look on the plus side. First off? NO Jenny and NO Vanessa! Makes me want to hug a GG writer! Oh, and just a note on the chapter… I'm having Dorota call Jack just Jack because I think she says Mr. or Ms. as a sign of respect and in this story she has no respect for Jack.


	20. Chapter 20

Hello! Okay, because I'm obsessed with My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding… I cannot promise that it will not make it into my writing. About the last chapter, I love the reaction the "We don't do this anymore. I don't run. You don't leave" bit. From the feedback I got a lot of you seem to feel like me. I'm tired of all the back and forth separation. At this point on the show… I almost don't want them back together until they're SOLID. I tried to seal them up a little further in this chapter, but… I haven't had the big thing yet. I need to come up with something special… Points for the people that know what I'm talking about. Here we go…

Blair's body recoiled at his voice and she tried to lurch up. For a brief moment he applied pressure to the back of her neck, keeping her pinned to the floor, and Blair felt panic boil within her. Her cheek was pressed against the yoga mat, and she felt sweat trickle down her face. Her skin was seared where he touched her. And while she wanted to struggle, she felt vulnerable in this position. She kept her body as still as a statue.

Finally he released her, and she immediately through herself back and away from him, putting distance between them before trying to stand up. Once on her feet she eyed him wearily and gaged the distance to the door. He was right in her path.

However his eyes were locked on one thing.

"Someone didn't waste any time…" Jack sneered as he stared at rounded stomach that looked even larger under her close fitting yoga clothes.

Blair's hands sought her belly and lay there protectively. She moved to leave and he countered her move cutting her off.

"You can't be leaving so soon… we haven't had any alone time…"

"Get out of my way." She bit out. She had been tense when he had shown up at her lunch with Serena and Lily, but this was something different. She didn't need him to tell her they were alone. The cold chills that ran over her did that.

He stepped back and swept his arm out to usher her past, but as she moved to walk by him he caught her by her upper arm and twisted her back to him. "Leaving without a kiss?"

She yanked on her arm but he held her tighter. He was so close to her now she could see the glimmer of menace in his eyes. "Let me go." She told him coldly. "My bodyguard is in the waiting room. If I scream, he'll hear me… and you'll be eating through a tube for the rest of your life."

Jack grinned at her and stepped back. "Till we meet again…"

He walked out the door and moments later, and Arlo her bodyguard popped his head in. "Mrs. Bass?"

She looked up, dazed. "Yes?"

"I thought I saw someone come out of the room, and I wanted to check on you." He said looking concerned.

"Thank you, Arlo, I'm fine." Blair said, pulling herself together.

By sheer force of will Blair pulled her shoulders back and walked out of the room. She ignored the guard's searching gaze and went to the change room. As if on autopilot she showered, blew her hair dry, applied her makeup and got dressed. Looking like UES perfection she walked out of the change room where now two of her guards were waiting. Shoulders back and chin in the air she walked to the limo. It was only as she sat there that she realized her hands were trembling and she clenched them together in her lap in order to still them.

Somehow she made it back to the apartment. She rode the elevator. She stepped off and walked straight to her room. She sat down at her vanity and her breathing came faster and faster till she was hyperventilating. As she was losing it she jumped as hands slid onto her shoulders, but she knew those hands and she let Chuck pull her up and into his arms. She was sobbing by the time he led her to a large chair and sat down, pulling her into his lap. Chuck held her as she came undone, saying nothing but stroking her hair and back. As she calmed, she relaxed in his arms till her hiccupping stopped.

Blair's senses came back and she sat up in his arms and scowled at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here…" He drawled not bothered in the slightest by her tones, and his hand rubbed comfortingly up and down her thigh. After talking to Dorota he'd called in and told the office he would be working from home today. He had wanted to try to talk to her, after getting the call from Arlo about Jack he knew he had been right. Watching her come in had ripped at him. This had to come out.

"I know. I used to have more closet space." She quipped as she started putting back up the wall.

Realizing her face was mostly on his shirt right now, she knew she must be a mess. Swiping her fingers under her eyes, she moved to stand up, but Chuck gently caught her wrists and pulled her back down. With him still holding her wrists, she turned her head away to avoid his probing eyes. His hands moved to her face and he caught her chin and softly tilted it towards him.

"Blair."

"It's nothing." She said with a small laugh, still trying to shake the detective she saw in his eyes.

"Arlo called…"

"Why would he do that?"

"He thought he saw someone leaving the yoga studio… and you seemed…"

"I seemed what?" She asked sharply.

He ignored her question and countered with one of his own. "Tell me why even the thought of being alone with Jack terrorizes you."

He hadn't wanted to see it before. Actually he hadn't wanted to know anything about her life during her time with his uncle, but now he saw he had missed something. He'd missed a crucial time in her life. "Blair…"

She got up from his arms and walked over to the window. Chuck stood and followed her but stayed a step back, not touching her. She stood looking out over the city, but she was a million miles away.

"After Jack told me Harry was his… I felt… like the worst mother in the world… Like I'd given him the wrong father… It felt like I had to go back to Australia and try with Jack. I figured… he was better than Harry having no father at all." Her shoulders slumped. "I was an idiot."

Blair let out a breath and shut her eyes for a moment. She hated this. Hated talking about this to anyone, but it was time to let it out. Licking her bottom lip she opened her eyes.

"I don't know what I was expecting… When I first married him… It wasn't so awful. It wasn't good… but… I don't know. This? It was a nightmare right from the start. It was like… I had been able to get away before, and he wasn't going to let it happen again. He bought this house in the middle of nowhere, and it became my prison rather than my home."

She wrapped her arms protectively around herself. "I should have know I was in trouble when I woke up on the first morning and my cell was gone… There were no landlines in the house… he only let me use his when he could monitor my calls… There was no daily staff. When the cleaners came in Jack made sure he was there… When he left… Well, at least then—"

She broke off and Chuck waited. His stomach was churning with rage at his uncle, but he knew he had to stay quiet and let her let it out. "If it was just me… maybe I could have done something different…" A ghost of a smile played across her lips. "But I had Harry, and he wasn't just the bright spot in my world, he was everything. Jack knew it… and used Harry to keep me in line. If we went out to dinner with on of his clients, he made it clear that if I acted out or tried to leave… Harry wouldn't be there when I got home. When he was a newborn… I couldn't risk it. And he never lay a finder on Harry."

Blair turned to look at him, her eyes frantic as she sought to reassure him. Chuck nodded and she could see he believed her and so went on.

"Then one night… it got so bad… I knew I had to get Harry out of there… I had to get out of there. So the next day after Jack had left for work, I got Harry and walked… If I hadn't seen the gardener on the neighbour's property… I don't know what I would have done. He had a sell phone so…"

She glanced down and her bare right hand. "So I traded him my ring to call Paris. Mother got me out that day."

Chuck's hands were clenched into fists. "He hurt you?"

She told him of the isolation and the violence that grew with each day that went by and every drink Jack took. By the time she was done she was in his arms and he held her tight. Chuck wanted to do all manner of things, the second being to kill Jack Bass, but the first one took precedent. The first was Blair.

"Are you okay?" He murmured with an edge of pain.

She hugged him a little tighter, and a small smile curved her lips before she laid her hand against his shoulder. "I am now."

Minutes passed by and they just held each other. Chuck still wanted to fix this. Their past filtered through his head and all the different avenues that could have happened came to him. All the ways he could have spared her what happened.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

She raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him confused. "Why are you sorry? I'm sorry for exposing our son to that."

"You left. You were strong. You did what was best for Harry. No, what I'm talking about is… everything… all the games… all the mistakes…" He managed to get out.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. They weren't just your games and mistakes. I played them. I made them too." She told him truthfully.

"I don't want to make anymore mistakes. Not with us…" He looked at her and his brow furrowed. He was earnest as his hands came up to her shoulders and his caramel eyes drilled into her.

She understood and nodded. "No more big mistakes… but let's be honest there are still going to be mistakes, because… let's face it…You and I? We're going to be us. We're still going to fight—"

"You're still going to drive me crazy."

"And there are still going to be times I want to kill you." She smiled a little. "But you were right. We're done with the old Chuck and Blair. No more leaving."

"No more running." He finally smiled at her. "Deal."

"Perfect." She chirped. The day had been hell, but she felt like she and Chuck had landed in this better place. A real place. "I'll call Cyrus and have him draw up the contract."

"As if we're using your lawyer…" Chuck sneered at her but softened it with a kiss.

TahDAH! Okay this is for the Canadian, but it probably applies to a few other countries. There's this laundry commercial that's like 36% of Canadian women only wash their sheets once a month… What the hell? Once a week. I am a Canadian woman, and I wash my sheet at least once a week. Weirdest commercial… except for the one with the old woman who tells the viewer how she though she'd hate living in a seniors home, but once she was there she TOTALLY LOVED IT! I started laughing. Yeah, that's it. Let's trick Nana into the home! Kidding… my Nana is dead. But my mom should watch out…


	21. Chapter 21

Hello? There's a question mark after that one. I don't ask for reviews as a general rule… but to go from 26 to 15? Ouch. Did I do something? Did I insult you? Kick your dog? Or was it the lack of Harry Bass? I will cater to my audience. More Harry for you. But now I slightly want to punish you. I'm vindictive that way. I'm gonna let you all worry about that one. Anyhoo... I was in the mood to write this. Here we go…

Chuck lay on his stomach, his arms shoved up under his pillow and his face buried deep in its softness. Blair lay on her side, facing him, and couldn't take her eyes off of him. It had been a tense couple of weeks since her confrontation with Jack, but he had since slipped off the radar and no one seemed to be able to find him. However, that was not what was keeping Blair up tonight. As her eyes traced over the relaxed muscles of his shoulders, they followed the slope of his back to the perfect curve of his butt. God he was sexy. God she was horny!

She inched a little closer to him, and the heat from his body emanating out from under his pajamas did nothing to help her. She reached out and her finger started twirling a lock of hair near his ear, and she leaned in to whisper his name seductively. Nothing. She frowned, but didn't give up. She was a Waldorf… Bass. Either way, she was good at this. Releasing his hair, she gently tugged the blankets away, and she let her fingertips trail along his back, smiling as she felt the muscles twitch under her touch.

"Blair, please tell me your craving of the moment is for food…" Chuck complained into his pillow.

She bit her lip and there was an anticipatory gleam in her eye, and she felt his body tense as her hand traveled over his bottom and headed straight for—

"Blair!" Chuck snapped as he quickly lifted his head from the pillow but not turning to look at her. He knew he'd be a goner if he looked at her. "No."

"Chuck…"

"No means no." He said as he concentrated on staring at the patterned headboard. "Now if you'd kindly remove your hand from my pants and go to sleep…"

"Chuck!" She frowned and whimpered a little as she pressed herself against him. "Please… Just once more…"

"Forget it. I've performed my husbandly duties—twice—tonight and now I'm sleeping." He said firmly, putting his face back down in his pillow, trying not to remember their time in the bath tonight or after as he worshipped her in their bed. It was a matter of principal now.

Blair huffed and pulled herself up to sit against the headboard. "Look, last time around on the pregnancy hormone roller coaster I was on my own to handle my needs."

"Please tell me you mean that literally…" He cut in from the depth of his pillow.

She ignored his words but grumbled on. "Do you think it was easy to be single, pregnant and in a heightened amorous state? It led my father to have a serious and very uncomfortable conversation with me over my perceived sexual harassment of Jean-Pierre the pool boy."

She heard him snicker into his pillow and her hand landed hard on his shoulder.

"Chuuuuck!" Blair whined as she squirmed.

He lifted his head and finally looked at her with a scowl. "Waldorf, I have a conference skype with London early tomorrow morning and then we have that benefit that night. I need sleep." He bit out.

"Fine! Sleep." She half shouted and flipped and huffed onto her side, facing away from his as he shoved his head back down.

A few minutes ticked by and Blair was still wired. All she could think about was sex and Chuck. Both of which seemed out of reach at the moment. Then she remembered she'd survived this need before.

Damn her! Chuck thought as he lay there trying to relax and ignore the hard-on that throbbed beneath him. He had been sleeping. Content. And now look at him. But he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of… satisfaction. He wasn't going to let her win, so instead he lay there trying to will his body to get over it. Chuck thought in might be working… but then he heard her moan softly next to him.

A second later he heard her whimper, "Oui… Oui…" and he lifted his head to stare incredulously at the back of her slightly rocking and undulating form.

"Blair!" He snapped. She was thinking about that fucking pool boy, he knew it!

"Shhh!" Blair managed, clearly close to the edge.

Chuck shoved himself up and pulled down his pajama bottoms before molding his body to the back of hers.

"I swear if I hear you say Jean-Pierre…" He bit out hot and angry, as he maneuvered her body into position and set off the fires only he could start and only he could put out.

Blair couldn't help but laugh in triumph. That had been too easy. However he had one thing wrong. In her mind, Chuck had been her pool boy, but she wasn't going to tell him that, she thought as she snickered to herself… but that flew out of her head with a gasp. The man really was brilliant. Best pool boy ever.

The next morning Blair smiled happily satisfied at the table for breakfast. A grumpy Chuck had left earlier for his meeting, but she had been able to stay in bed another two hours. In her mind it had all been worth it.

Harry sat next to her and pushed his food around on his plate. Blair raised a brow at the silent treatment he had given both of his parents this morning.

"I take it you heard we're going out tonight?" She asked him with a raise eyebrow.

He looked at her mutinously for a moment before purposely angling his body away from her as if she wasn't there. Blair sighed heavily. "Harry, Daddy and I will both be here when you eat and we won't be leaving till after your bedtime. If you hadn't have snooped, you wouldn't have even known we were gone."

"I would to! I'd know if we all weren't together!" His ire dissipated and his voice became sad. "Don't you love me anymore, Mama?" He asked with giant eyes.

Blair sat back truly aghast. The angle of his face… The way his lip trembled… His body language… His every intonation…

"God, you're good." She mused truly impressed but not at all snared. Game recognized game… and she suddenly felt the need to call and apologize to her mother, only Blair knew she wouldn't because her mother had told her years ago that she wished on Blair a child in her own image. She hadn't indicated if that was a complement or not.

Harry in the meantime scowled at his play being blown out of the water. "Fine, go… But I want two desserts at dinner!"

And with that Harry got up, whipped his napkin off his lap and slammed it down in his chair before stomping out of the room. Blair rolled her eyes and ran a hand over her heavy stomach. "You better not be taking notes in there."

She was just popping a blackberry into her mouth when Dorota came in and placed a green book on the table by Blair.

"What is this?" Blair asked with a raise brow.

Dorota smiled. "Is book."

"I can see that it's a book, Dorota. I've lost my waist, not my eyes. What is it doing here?"

"Is Giving Tree. I used to read it to Ana every night, but I think now is time for Mr. Harry. He'd like it. Is about how we treat each other… maybe to him some good." Dorota teased.

"No."

"What?"

"No. Thank you, but no." Blair said with disdain and handed the book back. "I abhor this book."

"Why am I not surprised…" Dorota commented with a raised eyebrow.

Blair sat up a little straighter and looked at Dorota with narrowed eyes. "Have you read the Giving Tree?"

"Yes… you remember when I say I read it to Ana two minutes ago? That was me."

Blair ignored the sarcasm. "Did you not notice that the tree was gendered female? No? I thought not. This book highlights everything that is wrong between male and female relationships. The girl gives, and gives and the mean, selfish little boy just takes and takes till she's nothing left but a stump… and even then she STILL lets him sit on her. Read that to Harry? No thank you." Blair finished and handed the book back to a stunned Dorota.

Than afternoon Blair made it a point to hit the bookstore for her own choice of book for Harry. She spotted a cover that she remembered reading as a child… but that she couldn't quite remember the story. She vaguely remembered it was about an older sister who learned to love and care for her baby sibling. Blair thought that might be what Harry needed. She also figured anything was better than the Giving Tree and she headed to the cashier.

That night Blair sat in Harry's bed with him cuddled up to her side, her formal ball gown was spread out around them and Harry had taken to using the full skirt as a blanket, and she read the Maurice Sendak's Outside Over There. It was the creepiest freaking book Blair had ever read, and she almost couldn't believe that she kept going. She could only hope that he'd hate it… and demand to read the Giving Tree. At least the Giving Tree wouldn't scar him for life… Blair felt scarred for life.

Finally she shut the book as she read the last sentence and looked down at his head that rested against the large swell of her stomach. Harry shifted so his doe eyes met hers. She knew those eyes. She had taught those eyes everything she knew, so she was ready for what came next.

"One more time."

Damn. Luckily she had an out. "Sorry, sweetheart. Mommy has to finish getting ready."

"Do you and Daddy really have to go out tonight?" He grumbled for the millionth time.

"Yes, Harry." Blair sighed. She knew what was coming next.

"Why can't I come?"

"Because it's a formal—"

"I have my own suit!" He piped up.

"—adult party." She finished, emphasizing the word 'adult'.

Harry scowled but put his head back down against Blair's belly. Blair flinched and Harry jumped as the baby landed a sharp kick… right around the area where Harry rested his cheek. Harry scowled and nudged Blair's stomach with the palm of his hand.

"Harry!" Blair gasped, not hurt but surprised.

"It started it." He grumbled as he cuddled back into her, careful to avoid the offending lump. In his head he anointed the baby that. Lump.

Blair raised her eyes to the ceiling, counted to one hundred, and tried to assure herself that since goblins didn't exist her baby was in no danger of being handed off to them by its older brother… she hoped. By the time she finished her count he was asleep in her arms.

"What am I going to do with you?" She mused with a smile.

"Hope that if his little brother or sister is anything like him that he can give it out as well as take it?" Chuck mused from the door.

"Ha. Ha." She said drolly but then smiled at him. "Help me?"

She was weighed down by both the child on her inside and the child on the outside, and Chuck came over and gently rolled Harry over and then helped Blair stand. With that done he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Harry's head before turning and placing a hand on the small of Blair's back as they exited the room. Three hours later his arm rested behind her chair as the finished their ten thousand dollar a plate meal, and Blair glanced over at him. "We're stopping at McDonald's on the way home."

Chuck cringed at her newfound love of the chain's French Fries, but nodded. As the plates were cleared music started to place and he saw Blair look out onto the dance floor longingly. He stood and she looked up at him confused, and he bowed with a lopsided grin and extended one hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Her eyes lit on him, and she smiled as she placed her hand in his. Then she was in his arms on the dance floor and she felt eighteen again.

"You're quiet… What are you thinking about?" He asked at her dreamy look and smile, which only broadened as she met his eyes.

"Oh… I'm sorry… did you want me to speak? Usually you just want me to shut up and dance with you." She teased.

Chuck smiled at the memory, and it was one that didn't even hurt anymore. That had been the night his father had died, and he thought he'd never be able to think of that night or the nights after it without feeling that loss, that pain, that sense of being completely adrift and alone in the world. He held her a little tighter as he thought about how it didn't hurt because this one woman had changed it all. She had nagged and berated him into accepting Lily and her children as his family. She had given him in-laws that called to talk about holidays, and dinners and all the things he'd seen on television that he'd secretly craved. She had given him a son, and soon she would give him another child. She had given him a family… but before everything else she had given him herself. She was the beginning and the end of everything good he had and would ever have in his life. As he squeezed her hand, she looked up at him, confused by the emotions that crossed his face.

"Chuck?" She asked, pressing against him a little as if she felt his need to be closer and wanted the same.

"Blair, I—"

"May I cut in?" A too familiar voice sneered.

In shock Blair and Chuck looked over to see Jack standing less than a metre away. Chuck immediately turned to him as he pressed Blair behind him.

"Aww! How sweet!" Jack mocked his nephew's protective stance.

"Stay away from her." Chuck growled.

"I don't think so…" Jack said with a smile, but then turned around and walked out of the event.

"Stay here." Chuck told Blair as he moved to follow Jack.

She was three steps behind him as they made it out to the top of the stairs that led out of the building. Jack was easy to spot as he stood on the sidewalk and he opened his arms wide.

"Mrs. Bass, nephew of mine… this is only the beginning!" He declared as he stepped back to leave with a dramatic flourish. He really should have invested a moment in Sesame Street safety. He never saw the garbage truck that hit him full-force coming.

TahDAH! The Giving Tree keeps popping up in my life and I forever hate it. I babysat this little boy who LOVED me to read it to him… possibly because I read it with a monster voice and like… "The mean, selfish, spoiled rotten little boy…" Oh, and… GO Canucks!


	22. Chapter 22

Hello! Thank you so much for the response to the last chapter! Nagging appears to work? Let's try it again… ready… Everyone recycle! GO! And as I tell you to do this I have a Barney line from HIMYM in my head, "I don't recycle because I don't believe in supporting lost causes." Okay, so in short… I just got tired of writing Jack Bass. And then the garbage truck just popped into my head. Since so many of you seem to love Harry, and I love writing Harry… I thought of a Harry focused/still Chair storyline. I'm gonna go with it, and I hope you all like it. I'll start layering it in starting in the next chapter or so, and also after she has the baby, I may time jump a bit to age Harry up a little. Here we go…

Blair stood looking down on the man who had caused her so much pain, and she felt nothing. She heard the dozen or so machines beeping and churning, and she saw the respirator force air in and out of this lifeless body, but she felt nothing. He'd been hit less than 24hrs ago and the doctors were already saying that this was now his life. As Jack's only next of kin Chuck was seeing to him being moved to a long-term care facility in New Jersey. Only they understood the slight.

"You look tired." Chuck said softly from behind her.

"Really?" She mused still not turning. "Because I feel remarkably refreshed."

His strong hand slipped onto her shoulders and he squeezed gently. "Come. I'll take you home."

Chuck had taken the morning off, but had to go into the office for the rest of the day. He took her home and even walked her upstairs despite her protests. She sat on the sofa and he helped her bring her legs up to stretch out. He cringed as he noticed her ankles swollen to the point of melding into her calves, and he was once again grateful to be a man. She fussed a little and wiggled onto her side, her hand pressing into the side of her stomach and rubbing circles into the area.

"Are you alright?" Chuck asked, hating to see her in this discomfort and realizing it happened more and more frequently the closer they got to the due date.

"Uh huh." She said absently and she reached out and took his hand, placing it over the spot. "Our baby is just trying to show me who it thinks is running the show right now."

Chuck smiled at the sharp kick that landed on his palm. He loved feeling the baby move inside Blair. Sometime while she slept he'd rest his hands on her swollen belly and marvel at the moves… sometimes trying to egg the baby into movement when he felt it was too still, and usually getting caught by Blair and earning himself a twisted ear or a bent back finger. As he gently massaged the area, he looked up and saw Blair's eyes were already shut and her breathing was evening out. She was tired a lot lately. Reaching up he smoothed the fall of her dark hair off her face. He got up and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and settled it over her, tucking it in at her feet because he knew they got cold easily. He kissed her forehead and left for the office.

When he came home a few hours later Blair still slept on the couch and Harry knelt at the coffee table beside her working on a picture. At the sound of his father coming home he looked up with a serious expression.

"Shhh!" Harry told Chuck sternly, clearly having self-appointed himself his mother's watchdog. "Mama is sleeping."

Chuck merely raise a brow at his son before he handed off his coat to a maid and then came into the living room. Chuck sat in a chair near Harry and looked at what his son was doing.

"What's all this?"

"It's my buildings." Harry said proudly holding up the paper covered with crudely crayoned skyscrapers. "The ones I'm going to build when you're dead and I'm the boss."

Chuck froze for a second at the glee in his boy's voice, before he leaned back in the chair and commented drolly. "I'm not dead yet…"

"I know." Harry rolled his eyes at his father's foolishness. "When you're old, and after I've put you away like Mama keeps threatening to do to Grandmother Waldorf… Then I get to build my buildings!"

Chuck made a mental note to give Blair a heads up on conversations about her mother and the ears that now overheard them.

"Let's have a look?" Chuck asked holding out his hands, and Harry gave his father his paper before climbing up into his lap. They sat there for a few moments as Harry explained his drawing and his plans, and Chuck listened as carefully as he would to his most important investor. When he was done Harry looked up at Chuck. Waiting.

"Not bad, my boy. Not bad." Chuck said with true pride and he patted Harry firmly on the back. Harry's eyes gleamed with happiness, not only because of his plans, but because he'd impressed his father. Seeing that look, Chuck was brought up short. He'd always strode to see a look of pride on Bart's face when he'd looked at Chuck… and rarely if ever had. He'd wanted to give that to Harry, had even mapped out ways in his head to show Harry how proud he was of him, and here and now? He'd done it without even realizing it. It had been easy because it was true and he hadn't been afraid to show it to Harry. He was proud of him and his son knew it. It shook Charles Bass in the greatest of ways.

Blair stirred and stretched, opening her eyes and looking over at them with a smile.

"Mama!" Harry said happily and jumped out of Chuck's arms to try to climb into Blair's. It wasn't easy. She didn't leave a lot of room on the couch.

"I'm starving!" She declared and quickly placed her hand over Harry's mouth, knowing he was about to tell her she was always starving lately. "How about we go get dressed and go some place fabulous?"

Harry was off like shot to pick an outfit, and Chuck helped Blair up off the couch. As they made their way upstairs his hand rested protectively on the small of her back.

"Did I overhear that he plans on putting us in a home?" She asked as they headed into their bedroom.

"You did."

"Remind me to disinherit him." She mused dryly.

Later that night, well after dinner and after they'd all gone to bed, Blair woke up having to pee for the fourth time that night. Lying on her side she pushed herself up into a seated position and hefted her body to stand. She waddled to the bathroom and took care of her current pressing need. After washing her hands Blair stood in the bathroom and caught sight of image in the full-length mirror. She cringed for a moment at her great increase in size, but as she ran a hand over her belly… she didn't feel the self-hate she once held for any growth in her figure. She looked at her rather massive stomach… and cherished it. The changes that were running riot over her body… didn't consume her. Opening the bathroom door she padded over to Chuck's side of the bed and looked down on him.

This man. This man wanted her. Had always wanted her. And deep in Blair's gut… she just knew that he always would. Blair's self-esteem was light-years away from what it had been at 15, and while much of her growth had been internal and gained on her own… this man had helped to heal her. He had been the first boy who had ever made her feel truly attractive and sexy. He'd been the first boy to truly love her. He'd been the first boy she'd truly loved, and she knew he'd be the last man.

Choking up she quickly left the room, not wanting to wake him.

A while later Chuck stirred, turning over and reaching for Blair and wanting to tuck himself against her. When all he felt was empty bed his mind creeped to consciousness. He lay quietly; his eyes still closed, and listened for her, to hear if she was just on one of her many trips to the bathroom. A few minutes and still no Blair later, Chuck heaved a large sigh and climbed out of bed. He tapped gently on the bathroom door, calling her name. When she didn't answer he turned the handle and found the room empty.

He checked to see if she was with Harry, but the boy was sleeping quietly alone. The nearly complete nursery was empty. Next he went down to the kitchen thinking the filet mignon covered in peanut butter she'd had for dinner hadn't been enough, but that room was empty too. After checking the living room, dinning room and his office, he was getting anxious. The security system was still armed, and it was clear she hadn't left.

"Where the hell is she?" He mused thinking that right now she was also kind of hard to miss. He headed back upstairs and was about to start checking the spare rooms, when he got an idea. He found her sitting on the edge of the swimming pool with her legs dangling in the heated water. He let out the breath he'd been holding, and he rolled up his pajama legs and sat down beside her.

"Hi." She said softly as she leaned over and placed her head on his shoulder, nuzzling in.

"Hi." He said back, taking her and from where it rested across her hiked up nightgown, and playing with her fingers.

For long minutes they just sat there in a comfortable silence.

"Couldn't sleep?" He finally asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I had what I chose to consider a five hour long nap rather than a total loss of consciousness like a house cat."

He chuckled and it made her smile. Then on impulse Chuck slipped into the water, pajamas and all, causing Blair to gasp. He held out her hand and she smiled mischievously and placed hers in his and let him help her slide in to the pool.

She ducked her head under the water to push it back from her face, and it felt wonderful to be weightless… and to be with him. She sent a splash of water over him, knowing he hated to get his hair wet. They laughed as he pulled her into his arms; their child nestled between them. The silk of her gown spread out around them and they grew quiet as the looked into each other's eyes.

"I will always love you." He whispered, his voice breaking slightly with emotion, but wanting to say it, because even if he knew she knew… he wanted it to be said as well.

She exhaled and closed her eyes at how much she loved him and how much she felt the crashing waves of his love for her. She opened her eyes to meet the intensity of his gaze as her hands grasped the wet hair at his nape.

"I will always love you." She whispered back. It was more than a vow. More than a promise. For both of them… it was a fact that had been clear a long time ago. Chuck and Blair loved each other… and always would.

TahDAH! Two things. What the hell do you do with spiders? I do not have a bed. I sleep on a mattress on the floor and I was going to buy a bed frame… but since I can't find a job I may have to move back across Canada, so I think it's pointless to buy a bed frame right now. However, the other night I saw a big, weird Vancouver spider crawl across my carpet and I killed it with a hundred blows and then flushed it. The next morning another one scampered by and went between the wall and my mattress. I pulled up the mattress… and he had a buddy! Two spiders! WTF? I couldn't kill two at a time… So I grabbed the vacuum and sucked 'em both up. So… any ideas of what I should do? I'm not really scared of spiders… but I'm not too fond of the idea of them crawling all over me as I sleep.

Oh, and I know the chapter meandered a little at the end. I got too much sun today and burned the crap out of my shoulders… at the nudist beach I accidentally wondered onto. And I know what you're all thinking! And YES it was an accident! I could have gone another fifty years without seeing an 80-year-old penis. FYI. I was clothed.


	23. Chapter 23

Hello! Miss me? Correct… miss Harry? I feel like I need to warn everyone a little bit. Some of you read the girlsss site and maybe some of you read Alter For You, if you don't I'm just going to say that I have a family tragedy that began last month and is ongoing. I'm going to try to write when I can, but there maybe stretches where I can't bring myself to do so or care about writing anything. I hope you'll understand! Here we go…

"Six weeks? That can't be right." Chuck raised a brow and looked at his assistant.

He sat as his desk going over some figures for a new hotel, but had had his assistant brief him on What To Expect When You're Expecting, along with a dozen other birthing and parenting books Chuck didn't have time to read himself, but wanted the bullet points for. This new development had caught his full attention.

"I assure you Mr. Bass. That's correct… and a lowball estimate."

"What was that now?" Chuck froze in his seat and fixed his gaze on the other man.

"When my sister had my nephew he basically cored her like an apple. My brother-in-law was practically a virgin by the time she let him near her again." Graham had been speaking off hand, but froze when he saw the look on his boss' face.

Chuck Bass looked like he was about to hurl all over his desk. When he finally spoke it was through lips gone white with shock. "I could have lived my whole life without ever having heard that and been a happier man."

"Sir, I'm sure Mrs. Bass is an exceptionally fast healer… clearly she did agree to relations after your first child." Graham mused with an edge of desperation. "… However there does seem to be a gap of several years between her first pregnancy and her second…"

"Graham?"

"Yes, Mr. Bass?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Sir."

Blair ran her hands over her face and into her hair to squeeze out the excess water. She was just about to step out of the shower and start getting dressed for dinner when the steamed glass door was pulled open and her very naked and ready husband joined her inside. His lips found hers hungrily and his hands were all over her as he gently urged her back against the shower's wall. Her head was spinning and her last coherent thought was that he was home at least an hour earlier than usual.

"Chuck!" She gasped as her warmed skin made contact with the cool tile of the wall.

Not missing a beat he kissed her again as he pulled her to the other side of the shower where the built-in ledge was and he sat down, bringing her between his legs and finding her breast with his mouth. Blair lost her mind.

Twenty minutes later they walked out of the bathroom in their robes and Blair made her way towards her closet before she stopped having spotted the full dinner that had been set out on a small table for two in front of the window. It was candles. It was flowers. It was old Hollywood romance.

Chuck was already pulling her chair out for her, so Blair took it he had no intention of either of them dressing. His seat was right next to hers rather than across, and he pulled the silver trays off their plates before sitting himself. Blair watched him with a hint of suspicion.

He caught her look and explained as he poured them each a glass of sparkling apple juice. "Lily wanted to have Harry for a sleepover… so I thought it might be nice for us to have… our own sleepover…"

"Why do I get the feeling sleep isn't high on your agenda?" Blair mused as she took a sip from her glass flute.

"I'm a dedicated husband."

Her eyes narrowed on him. "… Or… Graham finally got to page 178."

Chuck said nothing, but Blair now had a very good idea of how he intended for them to spend their free time over the next seven weeks.

One week later…

"Bed rest?" Blair snapped at the doctor.

"Bed rest." The doctor nodded.

"For how long?" Blair gasped still not believing this diagnosis. She started having some cramping and spotting earlier today and had just come in to the doctor to check that it was nothing… only to be told that it was most definitely something. How rude of him of him.

"Till your due date. Mrs. Bass, there seems to be very clear evidence of placenta stress. Any activity could risk a tear or complete abruption which would be extremely life threatening to you and yo—"

"She'll do it. She'll stay on bed rest. I'll see to it." Chuck said, speaking for the first time since the doctor came into the room. He sat extremely still but the tension in him shook the room. Although he now knew his mother hadn't died in childbirth, Chuck knew Blair was vulnerable in her current condition. He would do, and see that she did, whatever it took to secure her health and that of the baby's.

The doctor looked relieved. Blair looked annoyed. She knew the second he heard the doctor speak that Chuck would have her locked down for the next month. The man could be such a molly coddler. He was worse than Dorota. Blair huffed back in her chair. She was so adding fifty grand to her Push Present.

She had taken out her phone to send a complaining text to Serena she heard Chuck's next question.

"Doctor… I was wondering… could Blair current condition have been brought on or aggravated by… let's say… copious amounts of erotic physical activity?"

"I'm sorry?" The doctor asked confused.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Sex. He's asking if mass quantities of mind blowing sex could do this."

The doctor stammered out a negative, but also cautioned that it was probably best that they refrain while she was on bed rest. Both Basses groaned at that one. It was going to be a long few months.

On the way home Blair had been dreading what was to come. She was supposed to have her baby shower next weekend, she and Chuck had been planning a quick trip up to Montreal for a Babymoon, along with a million and ten other things that were shot to hell by this little development. However the next day as she was propped up in bed, with promises from Chuck for post push presents and trips, her trusty bell at her side to summon Dorota and a host of minions set to do her bidding things looked a little different. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad…

It was a nightmare.

Three weeks later Blair was going stir crazy. She'd torn through her Netflix queue. She'd had stuck a camera on Dorota and monitored her cleaning, her shopping, her romantic dinner with Vanya… Her minions had suddenly come up with numerous reasons to avoid her, and as far as Blair was concerned Penelope's appendectomy could have waited another few weeks. Chuck had never been kinder or softer spoken. It was driving her nuts. Her husband was acting lame and she told him as much. He'd just smile and give her a teasing, put upon "Yes, dear."

And all of them followed the same edict. Stay in bed. It was disgusting. She was a grown woman. If she wanted to get up, but on Dior and try on all the new jewelry Chuck had bought her, then she could. If she wanted go to the nursery and make sure that it was painted Cloud White and not Oxford White then she should be able to do so. However, more than anyone else, one person stood in her way.

Harold Bass.

Damn the little bugger. When they'd explained to him what was going on, Harry had become very quiet. Never a good sign with a Bass. And in an effort to include him, Chuck had charged Harry with the task of keeping an eye on Blair to make sure she wasn't out of bed for anything more than trips to the bathroom. On the first day Blair had found the intensity to which he took to his role adorable. It got old fast.

He was like a forty-pound prison guard… A prison guard who was on a break at the moment. Five minutes ago Harry had gone to get some of his blocks to bring here and play on the floor of the master suite. This was not an opportunity to be missed.

Biting her lip she slid to the side of the bed and stepped onto the floor. Standing up she could almost taste her freedom and was trying to figure out if she could make it to the kitchen or the living room before he came back. She would have skipped if she weren't roughly the size of a whale, so instead she shifted her weight quickly from foot to foot. Freedom!

"What are you doing out of bed?" The harsh accusatory tone made her freeze.

Merde.

"Harry!" Blair turned to face her son who was standing in the doorway holding a bag of blocks and wearing a controlling expression. "I was just getting up to go to the bathroom…"

He raised a brow as if sensing her lie. They watched each other like the greatest advesaries as Blair moved to the bathroom and Harry moved to sit on an expanse of carpet near the bed.

Finally behind the bathroom door she slid the lock home and let out a sigh. It wasn't where she'd wanted to go but at least she was upright. Blair took a few minutes to enjoy being vertical and then walked back and forth across the bathroom floor a few times. She looked down at her huge stomach and chastised the child inside her.

"I'm going to write this all down so you realize you owe me and as such should always side with me over your father. Do we have an agreement?"

Her answer was a kick to her kidney but she took it as a yes. She was just toying with her hair when there was a knock on the door.

"Mama?" Another knock only louder this time. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Harry." Blair groaned.

"What's taking you so long?" He demanded and she heard the door handle rattle and was glad she'd locked it.

"I'm using the bathroom." Blair bit out wanting to tell her son to take a long walk off a short pier.

With a huff she waddled over to the toilet and flushed the empty bowl. She went to the sink and turned on the water.

"What are you doing?" Came the increasingly annoying voice from the other side of the door.

"I'm washing my hands!" She half yelled.

"You have two minutes." Came the words Blair had often used on him when she felt like he was taking too long, and it was accompanied by the distinct sound of one of his feet kicking the door.

After washing and meticulously drying her hands she moved to the door mumbling "I will not eat my young" under her breath, and opened it. Faces that wore identical narrowed eyes and looks of suspicion greeted each other and they didn't take their eyes off each other as Blair got back into bed. She was just about to pull her feet up onto the mattress when a new voice joined them.

"Are we coming or going…"

"Daddy!" Harry exploded, happy to see his father and he ran to him and jumped into his arms.

Chuck hugged the boy back before setting him down on his feet. "Status report?"

"Hostile. She got up five times to use the bathroom and two times I didn't even hear her pee!"

"Harold!" Blair bellowed flabbergasted over her son's tattling… and the fact he had clearly taken to listening at the bathroom door.

"Well done, my son, well done." Chuck congratulated the boy and pulled a hundred dollar bill out of his money fold. He handed it to Harry with a wink. "I'll take the watch from here."

"Yes!" Harry chirped, grabbed the money and ran out of the room. Blair hoped he'd trip in the hall.

Blair settled back into the pillows and settled into the act of ignoring her husband. He'd had to go into work on a Saturday and left her alone with the bossy general. It would serve him right if she never spoke to him again.

"Alone at last…" Chuck mused as he turned to gaze at her. He knew instantly she was still pissed at him for working today, but it couldn't be helped. He was trying to clear up his schedule so he'd have more time to be home in the next few months.

He slipped off his jacket and loosened his tie as he walked across the polished dark hardwood. "Have I told you are looking lovely today Mrs. Bass?"

She picked up a copy of Vogue she'd already read twice and continued to ignore him. With a knowing leer on his face he crawled into bed beside her and planted a kiss on her shoulder. She pulled it away. He smiled larger. He started playing with a lock of her hair. She wrenched it away. He started doing a million things that always worked to get under her skin, and yet she continued to ignore him.

"Speak to me…" He beseeched into her ear as he gently bit the lobe.

Blair's face contorted for a moment before she turned her head to look at him. "Chuck…"

"Yes…" He said victorious at having gotten her to talk.

"My water just broke."

TahDAH! I have exciting news! I have a bed! I'm not sleeping on a mattress on the floor anymore where the spiders can crawl over my face at night. To all of you think the spiders can still crawl over my face at night even though I'm in a proper bed, I say… SHUT UP! I'm levitated of the ground and it's lovely. Next stop… cutlery!


	24. Chapter 24

Hello! At this moment I am sitting here with freshly cut and styled hair. Right now it is beautiful. Here is the tricky part… when I wash it and have to do it myself. That is the true test of a good cut as far as I'm concerned. Here is a life lesson… A million years ago I used to go to this one dude to do my hair. One day I asked him if he ever screwed up someone's hair, what did he do? He said he fixes it to look good with product… then when the person goes home, washes and tries to do it themselves… it's a total mess and they think it's them not the cut. I thought that was hilarious… Until he did it to me a few cuts later. WTF? The trauma! There's a second, weird part to the story, but I'll stop rambling and give you the new chapter. Here we go…

Chuck's face went chalk white. "That's not funny."

"Do I look like Sarah Silverman?" She bit out sarcastically. "It wasn't meant to be."

Chuck immediately jumped off the bed and ripped the wet covers back.

"Chuck!" Blair gasped in surprise… but was about to get a bigger one.

Charles Bartholomew Bass tried to push her legs apart at the same time as he pulled her nightgown up. Blair Cornelia Waldorf Bass whacked him on the side of the head so hard he nearly passed out and then planted her foot on his shoulder and kicked him out of bed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Bass?" Blair half screamed.

He still couldn't bring himself up off his knees. He shook his head to try to clear it and then looked up at her incredulously.

"I'm trying to see if you're alright." He bit out.

"You didn't even go to college let alone med school!" Blair snapped as she pushed her wet nightgown down her legs. She grimaced and vowed to get out of it as soon as possible.

"My lack of a degree has never kept your knees locked to me before..." Chuck sneered as he stood up and offered her his hands to help her out of the sodden bed.

"If you ever want to see more than my ankles again, you won't try to repeat that move." Blair pronounced regally as she took his hands and stood.

As she walked to her closet Chuck was never less than a pace behind her. When he stepped on the trail of her gown for the second time Blair turned around and shoved his shoulders with both her hands. "Quit it!"

"What? You could fall!"

Blair rolled her eyes. "Right now I'm just a homeless person on a lettered avenue. Wet in my own fluids. I haven't even had a contraction yet!"

As if on queue Blair's belly tightened like a drum and a contraction crawled from her back to her stomach. Doubling over Blair reached out and Chuck was there, his arms around her to support her. As she was still panting, Chuck pressed his lips to the crown of her head. "Maybe we just should have adopted?"

He felt Blair smile against his chest. "Yes. I guess it's too late to change our minds?" She teased back and he was relieved that it wasn't so bad for her… yet.

As the contraction eased its grip, Chuck started to lead Blair to her closet again. It was about this time that their first-born reappeared.

"Ewww! Mama, did you pee your pants?" He screwed his face up with disgust as he asked her that demeaning question.

Blair scowled at him and he tried to cover his tracks.

"Accidents happen?" He offered, but in his heart he still judged her. Pee goes in the toilet. Not on clothes. Or beds. Or floors. Or potted plants. Or Dorota's shoes. He'd heard that enough in his life.

Blair waved Chuck away and went into the closet to select an outfit to wear to the hospital. Luckily she'd already narrowed it down to three. She made her choice and draped it over her arm to take to the bathroom so she'd have it to put on after she'd showered. When she came out of the closet she found both Basses waiting for her and Chuck. "Are you okay?"

Before she could answer her husband another contraction hit. She managed to grab hold of a chair and she panted through the pain.

"That seems fast? Blair… slow down."

She turned her head and her eyes narrowed at him. She said, "Yes, dear" but what she meant was, "You're an idiot" and they both knew it.

Harry had been stunned into silence for once in his life after having seen his mother in pain. He snapped out of it and looked at his father with an accusatory glare. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing." Chuck responded defensively.

"Ha!" Was Blair's response.

Little traitor that he was, he took his mother's side and continued to look at Chuck with judgment.

"Tell him I didn't do anything." Chuck demanded of Blair.

"I believe I'm in this condition as a direct result of something you did." Blair was not in the mood to help him out and instead headed to the bathroom. She had her next contraction in the shower, which Chuck saw since his nose was practically pressed against the glass the whole time. She had yet another after she'd gotten out and he was helping her dry her body.

"Blair… " Chuck asked and she could hear the worry in his voice.

"Get my bag. Let's go to the hospital." Blair told him and she was sure they should hurry because this baby was clearly on the way.

Fourteen hours later she lay in a hospital bed with Chuck by her side, and with their next child still very much inside of her. The anesthesiologist had been delayed and was most likely going to be fired for it if Chuck had anything to do with it… which he would. Chuck was bringing in another doctor, but so far Blair had been going it alone… and was not happy about it. The woman wanted drugs, and Chuck didn't blame her. She was also freaking him out. She wasn't talking. In the past few hours, as the contractions had become more intense, she had grown quieter and quieter. He wished she'd yell at him. This silence was killing him. He watched her and her intensity. Blair's brow furrowed in a way that made it clear that she was still untouched by botox.

"What are you thinking?" He finally asked in desperation.

"Remember when we were seven and you lifted my skirt up and I kicked you in the groin? Right now I'm thinking I should have kicked you harder." She grinded out as she gripped the bars on the bed and put all her focus into not screaming.

As the minutes ticked on Chuck began to worry about something else.

"The doctor told you not to push."

"I'm. Not. Pushing." Blair bit out.

"Oh really?" He raised a brow. "You haven't inhaled in about five minutes."

"You may be the expert on inhaling, but why don't you leave the birthing up to me, ass." She panted angrily.

Chuck felt infinitely better with her giving him hell. Soon the anesthesiologist came in and Blair declared her love for him. Chuck grumbled that his father had to die before she'd given those words up for the first time. Blair bent his finger half way back to his wrist and she threatened to kill him.

Two hours later Chuck was about ready to kill himself. Blair strained and contorted and finally after it seemed like she'd been pushing forever… Their baby slipped into the world.

Blair fell back against the pillows, a panting, sweating mess, but never more beautiful in Chuck's eyes.

"It's a boy!" The doctor announced as he laid the wet screaming infant on Blair's stomach.

Chuck was in shock. He watched Blair's hands and arms cradle their son. He vaguely was aware that scissors were being pressed into his hand and he was cutting something spongy. He tried not to think about it, and he sure as hell didn't look down. The next thing he knew he was beside Blair and he couldn't take his eyes off the baby they'd made.

"He's perfect!" Chuck declared with a shaky laugh, so relieved and so in love… and only mildly thinking he still might faint.

"I know." Blair breathed.

A short time later, after the baby had been checked, cleaned and swaddled, he was back in Blair's arms. She shuffled over and Chuck edged onto the bed next to her. Blair couldn't stop looking at their baby and Chuck couldn't stop looking at her.

"You're amazing."

"True." Blair agreed. She was feeling slightly less animalistic now that the baby was born and she'd taken the couple of minutes he'd been away to fix herself up and demand her silk slip and new bedding.

Her giant eyes swung to his. "Hold him?"

Chuck looked nervous. "Maybe you should do the holding…"

Blair rolled her eyes and practically shoved the baby into his arms, so it was either hold him or drop him. Chuck was a little stiff at first, but Blair smiled as she heard him give a true Chuck laugh. It was the laugh that she loved. The one he gave when he was truly happy. She smiled and curled to his side, one hand slipping up to Chuck's shoulder to gently rub, and the other resting over his hands and the baby. She registered a flash going off and glanced up to see a nurse smile at her as she set the camera back by Blair's bag. Blair scowled at her and the nurse ran out of the room. She had made it clear. No labour pictures. No birth pictures. Blair made a mental note to delete asap.

Then she looked back at their son and she was a goner. She leaned her head against Chuck's arm and they both just stared at the baby… and the little man stared right back. He had dark eyes that seemed to have an intensity to them as they contemplated his new world through puffy lids. If Blair had to guess it looked like he was sizing his parent up.

"He looks like he's judging us…" Chuck said at about that time.

Blair smiled and gently touched the baby's cheek. "Well… he's not crying, so I guess we pass?"

He chuckled a little and pulled the boy a little tighter to his chest.

"Are you disappointed?

Blair glanced over to Chuck confused. "Over…?"

"Not having a girl… I know you've always wanted one of each…"

Blair shook her head. "I want this baby. I wouldn't change anything about him… not his gender, not a hair on his head… not even the fact that he clearly has your ears."

Chuck laughed and then caught himself. "Lucky boy."

"Name?"

"Not Charles."

She was glad he said it. She nodded in agreement. Firstborns were named after their parents, and neither wanted to slight Harry. Blair felt a twinge of regret because Harry should have been welcomed to the world like this… with two parents surrounding him and his father's name. As if sensing this feeling in her Chuck looked over at her and shook his head. "Stop it. Everything worked out."

Blair nodded and lifted her face to his. Chuck carefully leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her recently glossed lips before pressing and nuzzling his forehead against hers.

"I was thinking…" He began quietly. "That since Harry was named after your father…"

Blair smiled. "Baby Bart… I like it."

Sometime later Blair nervously sat in the hospital bed, Bart in her arms as she nervously patted his bottom after she'd fed him. Chuck paced the floor beside her.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She declared with a grimace.

"Don't. It's a sign of weakness." Chuck told her… but he felt his palms sweating.

Minutes later they could hear footsteps in the hall and it was like each on echoed and caused the pit in their stomachs to grow. Chuck wiped his hands on his handkerchief.

"Pull it together, Bass!" Blair snapped as she listened to the tread that came closer and closer.

Then he was there.

"Mama. Daddy." Harry greeted them coolly from the doorway.

"Harry!" They both greeted a might too enthusiastically.

As Harry stepped into the room, Serena appeared behind him and waved the Egyptian cotton, embroidered shirt they had bought for him, that read, "I'm a big brother!"

"He refused to wear it." Serena told Harry's parents needlessly.

Chuck ignored her and offered his arms to Harry. "Ready to meet your little brother?"

"Do I have to?" Harry asked petulantly.

"Yes." Both his parents snapped simultaneously.

Chuck walked closer to the bed until Harry could look down and see the baby Blair tilted towards him. Harry's head cocked to the side and he fussed a little in his father's arms. Chuck followed his lead and set Harry gently on the bed beside Blair, where he kneeled to peer down at the sleeping newborn. Long minutes passed as Harry observed his baby brother. Finally Harry turned big sad eyes to his mother.

"I'm sorry, Mama…" Harry said as he leaned in to carefully hug her.

"What for?" Blair asked surprised and a little worried by his touching reaction.

Harry looked at her, looked at his brother and then back to her. "Well… there's something wrong with him."

Blair rolled her eyes and snapped at him. "There is nothing wrong with your little brother."

"He's supposed to look like that?" Harry gasped in disbelief.

"This is going to be fun." Serena declared.

TahDAH! Okay as I was writing this I started watching the documentary the Business of Being Born. While I agree with a lot of what they said I don't think our Blair Waldorf would do a home birth. It made it a weird chapter to write. Sorry!

On another note, I'm giving you guys an option. I can jump to the next phase of the story, which would also involve a time jump of a few years, or I can write a totally pointless chapter before the jump that is merely designed to give glimpses of Blair, Chuck, Harry and Bart in the weeks after the baby is born. I'm good either way. Just let me know.


	25. Chapter 25

Hello! There seemed to be an embrace of fluffy Chair goodness and who am I to argue that? I was in an I Told You mood, so look how fast I updated… I'm also unemployed so there's that contributing to my speed. Here we go…

Two days after Bart was born Blair lowered herself into the wheelchair and flinched as her lower half touched the seat. Chuck caught the action and a worried frown creased his brow.

"Maybe you should both stay here another couple of days… a week maybe?"

"No." Blair said firmly, ignoring the nurse that placed a tiny, sleeping Bart in her arms, but smiling down at him. She adjusted the cashmere blanket around his face. "We're going home. I'm tired of regularly seeing people who have seen or handled my insides. I'm tired of the cheap paint job. I'm tired of the bad lighting. I want to go home."

"But you're in pain." He reminded her needlessly.

"I'm not in pain."

"You winced." He scowled.

"Chuck, you were there. Don't you think I have reason to wince?" She fake smiled at him and gave him a look that told him she'd like to make him wince.

"Exactly why you aren't ready to leave the hospital yet." He argued, but stepped back out of range of her sharp heels.

Staring her husband right in the eyes she signaled one of the many orderlies, whose arms were all full of flowers, gifts and balloons, to start pushing them out. Chuck had no choice but to follow or be left behind.

They got to the entrance of the hospital and Blair calmly supervised the loading of their things into the limo. She glances up at her husband who was stone still beside her, and was caught off guard by his appearance.

"Chuck your sweating?" Blair more stated than asked in disbelief.

"They're just going to let us take him out of here?"

She got why he was nervous. She'd had that same feeling her first time around.

"He is our baby…" She teased with a smile. "We have a bill and everything. Birth certificate… proof of purchase."

She thought that would work, but looked like he had years ago when he was coming off an eight-day bender and had to have dinner with his father. Taking pity on him she reached out and took his hand, holding it tightly.

"Chuck we can do this." She looked at him with a surety. Then she smiled as she teased him. "If not, Dorota can."

Chuck nodded, squeezing her hand back and leaning in to kiss her forehead. They only had to stop the car once on the way home for him to throw up.

That night after numerous family and friends had visited through, and after the day baby nurse and Dorota had left, it was just them. Chuck had been okay with whatever Blair wanted, and she had told him that in the past she would have wanted night help, and there would probably be times in the future that she's want assistance when they were sleep deprived. But she'd taken care of Harry by herself when he was a newborn because Jack had refused to hire anyone for her, but that now she doesn't regret that. She's glad she had those nights with Harry and she wanted to do the same with Bart. Originally she had planned to sleep in the single bed she'd incorporated into the nursery so that Chuck wouldn't be disturbed. Chuck had told her no dice. They were in this together, and besides, he couldn't sleep without her. She told him with the baby in the room neither one of them would be getting much sleep. He still held fast to the sleeping arrangement, and Blair was secretly pleased. She didn't like sleeping without him either. Little did she know it wouldn't be Bart that would be keeping her sleep deprived…

"Blair…" She heard whispered through her unconsciousness. They'd put Harry to bed and then after feeding, changing, cuddling, feeding and changing again, they'd finally gotten Bart to sleep and laid in his bassinette next to their bed. Blair had been out for the count the second her head had hit her pillow. It felt like just seconds later that she heard Chuck whisper her name again.

"Blair…" She couldn't ignore him anymore… mostly because he was now shaking her leg. Her eyes felt like they'd been cemented shut, but she tore them open to glance at the clock. She'd only been sleeping twenty minutes.

"Chuck?" She said groggily as she sat up. "What's wrong? Is it Bart?"

Even as she asked the question she registered that her baby wasn't crying. Her husband however looked like he might. He had pulled up a chair to the baby's bassinette and was staring intensely into it. She got the feeling he'd been there since she fell asleep.

"Blair… I don't think he's breathing." Chuck told her seriously.

Blair rolled her eyes and flopped back against the pillows. "He's breathing, Chuck."

"I don't think so…"

"Chuck, he's fine." Blair whined.

"I'm just going—"

"Don't!"

"—to check…" He touched the baby's shoulder and gently prodded.

Unsurprisingly after being woken from his sleep, Bart hiccupped and began to wail. Blair clenched her eyes shut and counted to ten. Twice.

"Okay, he's alive." Chuck said as if he had just saved the day. He looked down into the bassinette and addressed his baby. "Alright, Bart, you can go back to sleep. Blair, where are you going?"

Blair had thrown the covers back and was now storming out of the room. She paused and spun around to look at him. "Chuck, let me let you in on something… Never wake a sleeping baby. Never. You did. He's all yours now."

"Blair, we're in this together." Chuck frowned at her as he continued to try to rock the cradle and a very angry Bart.

"That was before you were a moron. You're on your own, Daddy."

Blair lay down in the nursery's bed in the next room and listened. Bart screamed and screamed for the next hour and it was like nails on a chalkboard to her. After another ten there was sudden silence and that freaked her out more than anything had since he'd been born. She tip toed back to the room and peeked in from the hall. What she saw made her burst into tears. Stupid hormones.

Chuck was pacing back and forth across the floor with Bart up on his shoulder, and gently patting his back. Blair said nothing but stood there and watched him. As Chuck ease the baby off his shoulder and into his arms, he had a look of triumph as gazed down at his once again sleeping son. It was the first time Chuck had put him to sleep by himself. Still smiling like an idiot he lowered himself into the rocking chair in the corner and gently slid as he cradled his sleeping son, letting his eyes drift closed. Blair pulled herself together and crept into the room, snapping a picture before moving closer to them.

She sat on the edge of the bed and continued to watch them and think about how this was how it was supposed to be. For all his nerves, she knew he'd be good at this… she just had to get him to change a diaper… not because she cared, she liked to hand that duty off herself, but because she wanted to see the great Chuck Bass perform the task.

Bart stirred in Chuck's arms and began to whimper. Blair glanced at the clock, but her chest was telling her what time it was more that the dial. Her milk had finally come in this morning and eased her worry about Bart becoming a bottle baby. She actually didn't see anything tragic about a baby being fed with formula, but it tended to come easily to her, and after having breast fed Harry, she had come to like those times with him, and wanted to do the same for Bart. Chuck had also been on her ass with his assistant's bullet points telling her he didn't want a stupid kid, so could she please nurse it.

Blair knelt by Chuck's side and touched his knee. "Chuck…"

"Shh." He told her without opening his eyes. "We're sleeping."

"Chuck, give me the baby." She told him and his eyes cracked open.

"I don't know…" He looked at her skeptically. "You don't seem to care if he's breathing or not…"

She pinched him and he handed Bart over. She smiled pettily as he stood up and she took the seat in the rocking chair. She slipped the strap of her nightgown off her shoulder and was slightly embarrassed exposing herself in front of Chuck for the first time in forever. In the past few days she'd always put a blanket over them to cover her breast feeding, but she was so tired she hadn't realized what she was doing until it was done. Bart had moved from whimpering to crying now and she quickly brought him to her breast and ignored the eyes that were trained on her. Bart latched on and began to suckle loudly, and then Blair couldn't look at Chuck. She felt like a cow. He'd seen a human being come out of her vagina… and although he'd claimed to have not looked, she knew he caught sight of the afterbirth, and now he was seeing her feed a baby like a common mammal. She was convinced he was never going to find her attractive again.

"You're beautiful…" He said with sincerity.

Blair's eyes shut up to his and were vulnerable. "I'm not…"

"You are. You are spectacular."

And she believed it. And she almost forgave him for waking her and Bart up in the first place. After a while Bart fell asleep at her breast and she moved him up to her shoulder to gently burp. The gas slipped out and she managed to place him back in his bed without waking him. As she walked across the room she fixed her slip and grabbed something off her dresser.

She walked back to bed where Chuck was waiting and handed him something.

"Here." Blair said holding out a small hand mirror.

"What's this?"

"Hold it near his face. If you can see his breath on the glass then you know he's breathing. Then maybe both he and I can get some sleep."

"You're brilliant…" He whispered as she settled in his arms.

She was already falling asleep as she replied, "I know."

Two days later…

"Where is he?" Blair demanded angrily.

Harry looked up at her innocently. "I don't know… where did you leave him?"

Blair screamed and stomped her foot, but Harry wouldn't give up where he'd hidden his brother. This was the third time. This time Blair had gone to take a shower and Chuck had had to go to a meeting he couldn't get out of, so Serena had been left to watch Bart for a few minutes. Blair considered this to be her first parenting mistake with this child. By the time Blair had gotten out of the shower Bart was gone and Harry was looking at her like he was Charlie Sheen. Winner.

"Harold Bass, what have you done with your brother?" She yelled in frustration. The boy was too good at hiding him.

"Nothing." He said petulantly and kicked the floor with his toe.

Dorota walked through the foyer, still looking. "Baby is not behind couch or in hall closet or under dining room table."

Serena ran by. "He's not in the kitchen! Or the powder room! Or butler's pantry!"

Blair eyed Harry. Harry eyed her right back.

"Don't move." She ordered coldly and walked upstairs. Harry didn't move a muscle. This was a showdown and if he moved it was a flinch and she'd win. When she came back she was holding his favourite suit in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked with dread.

Blair held up the suit by a sleeve and raised the scissors, opening them and poising them by the edge of the immaculate fabric. "Where's your brother."

"You wouldn't…"

She slammed the blades closed and they came so close to the silk that it made Harry jump. "Where is he?" She demanded again.

Harry swallowed hard. He really loved that suit. Just when she thought he was about to cave his little shoulders stiffened and he looked up at her defiantly. "I'll never tell."

The blood was rushing in her ears at having her bluff called, so much so that she didn't hear the ping of the elevator arriving but she did hear Chuck. "Umm… Blair, what is Bart doing in the elevator?"

Blair looked at Harry. Harry looked at his mother. Harry made a run for it.

She sighed, not giving chase, and walked over to take the Moses basket from Chuck.

"He did it again?"

"He did it again." Blair confirmed.

Later that night Blair walked into Harry's room. He'd been sent there right after supper for once again creating a hostage situation with his brother. He was supposed to have had no dessert tonight either, but Blair knew he'd charmed a bowl of ice cream out of Dorota. He was now sitting up in bed in his pajamas and looking at a book on airplanes. When he saw her, he shut the book and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm not sorry." He told her as he threw himself back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling.

"After the second time I believe I knew that too." Blair said drolly, and she walked over to his bed and nudged him till he made room.

For a while mother and son just lay next to each other, exhausted. When she heard his sniff her heart broke. It had been a rough week for her first born. She pulled him into her arms so his head rested on her shoulder and she could stroke his back and hair the way she always did when he was tired and upset. She felt the tears wet her shoulder and knew her tough guy was crying. He clung to her and reached up to grab a lock of her hair and twist it around his fingers.

After long moments she spoke quietly too him. "Do you remember a long time ago when it was just you and me?"

"Kind of…" He said truthfully because his it was all getting kind of fuzzy to the point where he only really remember the stuff since they'd lived in New York.

"Well… for a while… it was just you and me. From the moment you were born you made me happy."

"Uh huh." Harry agreed that this was obvious.

"Now… do you remember when Chuck came into our family forever?"

Harry nodded.

"I'd like to think that he made both of us very happy…"

"Yeah…" Harry said, because his father did make him happy and he never wanted to be without him again.

"Now we have Bart… and I know it's difficult and strange to have this new person in our family… but I'd like to think that he's here to make us happy too…"

They were quiet again and Blair ran her fingers through the hair at his nape, and Harry continued to twirl.

"You're my Mama too." He finally said and she could sense him resolving himself to Bart, but still needing to make his claim clear.

"I know." She whispered.

"I still don't like him." He told her.

"I know that too… but can you at least stop hiding him? It's giving me grey hair."

"Okay, Mama." Harry whispered as he fell asleep, and Blair still didn't know if she could believe him.

Blair sighed. One battle down… a million to go.

TahDAH! Okay this chapter was getting long for me. I write all at once and I've been sitting here a while and my ass is numb. There's two more fluffy things I want to write, so I'll do another little chapter before the jump. It will be about Blair's Push Present and Chuck's push to get back under her skirt.

Oh, and I saw Crazy, Stupid, Love a few days ago… all I remember is Gosling hotness. HOTNESSSSSS!


	26. Chapter 26

Hello! Boop. Boop. Boooop. I don't know why I wrote that… I just felt like making those noises? I also want to point out… Bart is boring for the moment, basically because I find it hard to put characterization into a newborn. I basically think they're all just trying to adjust to life on the outside… and it must SUCK. It's cold. Loud. Stuff goes into you. Stuff shoots out. You have to wear clothes… So weird. What I can say is that I know where I'm going with Bart's personality, which is why I'm looking forward to the jump in the next chapter. I'm going to try to make him different that Harry, but still very clearly a child of Blair and Chuck. Wish me luck! Here we go…

"No."

"But what if—"

"No." Chuck said firmly.

For the past hour after he had read his son his goodnight stories, Chuck had been fielding his questions about all the reasons there could be to get rid of Bart.

"So you're telling me… if pirate ninjas took over and said you had to give up either ALL your money or Bart… You'd still keep Bart?" Harry demanded again in disgusted disbelief.

Chuck rolled his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. "I would still keep Bart."

"You'd condemn us to poverty… I'd have to go to public school." Harry emphasized knowing his father's disdain for the institution.

Chuck leaned over and kissed his son's forehead before getting up and walking to the door. "We wouldn't be poor… we'd just burn through your trust fund."

Chuck closed the bedroom door on his oldest child's indignant gasp. He was still chuckling as he sauntered into the nursery. He walked through to the en suite bathroom and paused to lean against the door jam. He watched her like he always did.

Blair had the baby bath set on the counter and was bathing a two-week-old Bart as she sang to him. Chuck Bass loved his wife, so much so that he even loved her singing, out of tune, pitchy mess that it was. He smiled because it seemed Bart loved it too. As she gently ran a soft cloth over his delicate skin his still unfocused eyes seemed to seek out her voice. Chuck looked at her face and was caught by the look of rapture there, as she couldn't take her eyes off her baby. Blair took a towel from beside her and threw it over her shoulder and chest. Her hands slipped under his arms and her fingers supported his head and neck as she scoped Bart up and laid him against her before taking the edge of the towel and covering the baby so he wouldn't get cold. As she turned she spotted Chuck and she smiled at him. She started walking towards him to take Bart to the nursery but paused to let her husband kiss her. Chuck kissed her lips softly before letting her pass.

"How did it go?" She asked as she lay Bart down on the changing table and started to diaper him.

"Pirate ninjas and all my money… you?" Chuck asked as he dropped into the rocker and pulled an ankle up on his knee.

"Sharks and my favourite Dior."

"We're making progress…"

"Yes." Blair commented drolly as she rubbed cream over Bart's skin. "Maybe by the time we die he'll actually consent to acknowledge he has a brother?"

Blair was in a black silk robe and where the wet towel and baby had hugged her the fabric know clung to her chest. Chuck swallowed hard and repeated "four more weeks" over and over again in his head. Blair slipped tiny arms and legs into the sleeves of his sleeper and brought Bart up into her arms. She lifted him so that his face was close to hers and she kissed one soft cheek and then the other before settling him into the cradle of her arm. Knowing that Chuck would follow she walked out and headed for the master. Chuck's eyes locked on the sway of her hips and it took him a minute before he was able to stand up.

She was feeding Bart when he walked into their room, and he kept right on going and into a shower. When he finally came out, only the lamp on his nightstand lighted the room, and Blair was curled under the blankets, facing his side of the bed. Chuck stopped by the bassinette to check on Bart and then crawled into bed with his wife. For a minute he lay on his side and stared at her almost asleep face.

"Blair…"

"Mmmm?" She responded but didn't open her eyes.

"I have something for you…"

"A present?" Blair immediately perked up. He'd already given her push present, and she smiled just thinking about the elaborate diamond necklace that sat in their safe.

"Not quite…"

"You can't change your mind about the vasectomy." She told him with a frown as one eye opened to stab at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it…" He replied and wasn't lying. They actually had talked about it. They both felt that with Harry and Bart… their family was done. Blair had teasingly asked him if he was sure, because the twenty year old he married fifteen years from now might not like that he can't assure her inheritance. Chuck hadn't even blinked. Blair was going to be the only mother of his children and his only wife. Ever. That one had earned him a manual reward.

"Then what is it?" She asked opening both her eyes now.

"Shut your eyes… and give me your right hand…"

She looked at him suspiciously for a moment, but in the end the hint of a present had her obeying. "Fine… But if this amorous in nature, I'd just like to remind you that our innocent son is three feet away."

Chuck smiled a little. "He's a Bass… He'll learn soon enough."

He ignored her little humph, and turned to open his bedside table.

Blair lay there and her eye's cracked open as he turned back to her.

"No peeking." He said firmly. "Or I won't give it to you."

She slammed her eyes shut. "Sorry!"

He smiled because he remembered a similar time when they were six and he'd had his nanny pack macaroons in his lunch. She'd peeked. He didn't give her the cookies. She hadn't talked to him for a week. He hoped this went better.

He took her hand and played with her fingers for a moment before he slipped the ring on her finger. Then he watched her face.

Blair felt the cool band slide up her finger and she felt giddy. Did he get her a diamond to match her new necklace? The emerald piece she'd spotted at Cartier last month?

"Open them…" Chuck finally said after watching the play of anticipation across her face for several long moments.

With a giant dimpled smile she opened her eyes… and froze as she looked at her finger.

"My ring." She breathed in awe of it. After she'd traded it she never thought she'd see it again. "How—"

"I'm Chuck Bass…" He said as cocky as ever.

_Two weeks later…_

Eric shoved a grape into his mouth and then smiled at his mother's gasp. "Eric, really."

"They're going to be late. They're on new parent time." Eric said as he grabbed another grape off the table. It was Bart's one month birthday and after a great deal of effort Lily had talked the Bass family into a brunch to celebrate. Serena had warned her mother that it wouldn't be an easy task since Blair had sworn not to leave the house until she had lost the baby weight. Lily being Lily she'd gone to their apartment and hadn't left until she'd wrangled a time and date out of them. Now Lily, Eric, Serena, Nate, Dan and Rufus sat and waited for them.

Serena only laughed as she grabbed a grape of her own and ignored her mother's look. "They have, and always will be, on Blair Waldorf time. Blair is never late. Never."

At precisely 11:00am the elevator pinged and Serena looked at her brother triumphantly. Everyone stood to greet them and none were surprised to find the family of four perfectly coordinated in grey and lilac, right down to Bart's pacifier.

After greetings and the majority headed to the table, Serena nudged her best friend with her shoulder and Blair raised a brow at her. Serena eyed her up and down and knew that Blair had been struggling with the last ten or fifteen pounds. The fitted day dress hugged her like a dream, but they both knew it was getting considerable help.

"Can you breathe?" Serena asked teasingly.

"Not even remotely." Blair said through a big fake smile and then skipped towards the table with Serena's laughter following in her wake.

Chuck held a chair out for Blair, and then sat in his own right next to her, flinching slightly. The action caused a snicker from Nate and a scowl from Chuck.

"Nathanial…"

"Sorry." Nate cleared his throat but was still laughing. "I just never thought I'd seen the day that Chuck Bass was neutered."

Chuck leaned back in his chair, unperturbed by his friend's ribbing. "Nathanial… I don't think my virility is in question… I have the evidence sitting at this table…"

"And possibly all over the five boroughs…" Dan couldn't help but quip.

Both Chuck and Blair's eyes narrowed on Dan and he could feel it to his soul. Harry also picked up on it, and knew that whatever Dan had said had not gone over well with his parents. Harry, who was sitting next to Dan, looked up at him and crooked a finger towards himself, signaling that he had something to say to Dan. Once the older man had leaned in, Harry cocked his head towards him and said slowly and steadily. "I don't like you."

Dan froze in the act of chewing a piece of cucumber sandwich and nearly choked. It was one thing for a kid to yell that they hated you. It was a whole other level of scary when they said it with soft conviction.

When he managed to clear his throat he looked around the snickering or flat out laughing table. "Okay. Maybe I am glad to see the end of the Bass line."

With the table still loud, Chuck took the opportunity to lean over and whisper in Blair's ear. "Two weeks from now my virility will not be in question… at least not to you…"

Blair froze, and Chuck thought it was with desire. Her head was slightly turned away, and if he could have seen her face… he would have read her better.

_Two weeks later…_

"Blair…"

"No." Blair said firmly. "We can't take the risk."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, Chuck, but you came up with a sperm count… and I just can't let any of them near me. The doctor said to come back in a week and he'll check it again. We'll just have to wait." Blair chirped, and Chuck couldn't help but think she didn't seem that put out by this turn of events as she lightly kissed his cheek and skipped out of the room.

_Two more weeks later…_

Chuck hadn't felt this severe a case of blue balls since their senior year of High School when he'd had… mechanical issues. He couldn't concentrate. He had zero productivity. And Harry had asked him more than once why he was sweating so much and always looked like he was just about to hurl.

It had now been three months since they'd had sex. Chuck couldn't remember ever feeling this bad in his life. When she announced last week that she was going away for a girl's vacation with Serena, he'd thought maybe that would be for the best. Out of sight out of mind. He was wrong.

She called every night to talk to Harry, who had to stay behind to go to school, and held the phone up to Bart's ear so he could talk to him… Which Chuck still felt was idiotic, because at two month old Chuck highly doubted that Bart could grasp the concept of people existing when they were out of his eye line, let alone with their voice coming out of a box.

Mostly he missed her. Missed her scent. The lilt of her voice. The taste of her skin. If he hadn't have been so unbelievably horny for her his brain would have been working properly and he would have recognized the signs sooner.

Blair Waldorf was avoiding him. It was time to start digging.

Blair lay under the cabana by the pool with Bart on her chest. He looked at her with those piercing Chuck-esk eyes, and Blair thought her two month old was judging her.

"Don't look at me like that. You have a penis. You're probably on his side." She scowled at the baby.

Blair sighed and yelled for Dorota. She handed Bart off and pushed her sunglasses onto her nose. She flopped back against the lounger until her cell went off. She thought it was probably Serena who'd fallen in love again and had stayed at his place all night. Blair had warned her that he was no good. Serena had looked at Blair with a raised eyebrow and told her that he was very good and that Blair was just frustrated. Blair had stopped speaking to her right about then. Blair thought it was Serena calling to apologize. It wasn't Serena.

"Chuck." She said with her lightest voice.

"Blair…" He said and it put her on edge the way he said her name. It was like he could strip her through the phone.

Blair sat straight up and grabbed a robe to cover her one piece. "Chuck… Let me get Bart…"

"But… I want you…" He breathed with pure Chuck Bass seduction.

Blair felt her knees go weak. Damn him and that voice. That voice had gotten her into trouble more than once in her life. She cleared her throat quickly.

"I was just thinking about you too… I was going to call—"

"Really…"

"Yes." Blair's mind was racing. She'd had a plan… one that she was going to implement tonight, and now she had to step it up. "It looks like I'm going to have to stay a little longer…"

There was dead silence on the line and Blair checked her phone to see if he was still there. Seeing the counter go up, she kept going.

"It's not me… It's Serena. She fell in love. Again." Blair said as if she was put upon. "And it ended. Again… and she's just about as broken hearted as you'd expect her to be over a five day relationship…"

More silence.

"So… she just can't face the city right now… I figure… another week… tops." Blair lied.

Even more silence.

"Chuck?"

Finally across the line came his voice. "How… benevolent you are."

"You know me." She tried to laugh. It fell flat.

"Since you can't come to me… I'll come to you."

"What? No!" She calmed her panicked voice. "I mean… that's so sweet… but you're so busy. I'd hate to take you away from your work."

"My work in nothing. I'll see you in a few hours."

He hung up before she could respond.

"DOROTA!" Blair bellowed. "Grab the baby, we're out of here!"

A few hours later Dan lay on his sofa reading the Help when he heard a sharp rapping at his door. He quickly shoved the book under a cushion and went to answer it. As soon as he opened it Blair breezed past him.

"Humphrey." Blair greeted.

Following shortly behind her came Dorota holding Bart, and bringing in the rear was Serena. Serena gave him a look that said both "I'm sorry" and "You don't want to know" all at once.

Before Dan could speak, Blair broke in with the

"We're on the lamb. For reasons that I can't discuss, I am avoiding my husband. Your loft is the last place he'd look for me other than a Payless, so here we are."

Blair sat down on the sofa and flinched. Reaching under the cushion she pulled out the Help and rolled her eyes at Dan. "Seriously."

"My favourite book." Dorota mumbled under her breath.

Dan swallowed hard as he shut the front door. "Am I allowed to ask how long you'll be staying?"

"Well…" Blair said looking around with disdain. "I won't be calling my decorator, but I will be sending you out to buy new sheets."

Suddenly Rihanna's Rude boy filled the air and Blair's eyes snapped to Dorota's."

"You left your cell on?" Blair berated. "I told you to turn it off!"

"But, Ms. Blair, I must keep it on. That's only Vanya calling to say he and Ana miss me."

"They're going to miss you a lot more when I have you shipped back to Poland." Blair yelled. "If your phone is on then Chuck can track us! What were you thinking, Dorota?"

"I am thinking I'm too old for this."

"Amen." Serena said as she sat down on a stool.

Blair was already in motion as she ran across the loft and pulled open the door ready to flee… but came face to face with Chuck Bass, who was lounging against the doorframe.

"Going somewhere, Mrs. Bass?"

"Chuck." She greeted as she schooled her features into passive indifference.

The tension crackled between the married couple. Chuck stepped into the loft and with each step he took forward, Blair took one back.

"I take baby home." Dorota said

"I'll… take out the recycling." Dan fumbled.

"I'll help!" Serena said quickly, and they all made their exits.

Chuck and Blair stood in the empty apartment and stared at each other, each trying to gage the other's mood and intent.

"I know you've been avoiding me…" Like a hunter he moved forward. Slowly as if not to startle, but with each knowing he could strike at any moment.

"I don't know what you mean?" She backed away and he stalked her. He didn't stop until she'd backed herself up against a shelf and had nowhere else to go.

His hands came up to rest on either side of her shoulders, and he leaned his weight on his palms, and slowly leaned into her until there wasn't even air between them. Trying to gain some perspective, Blair craned her head away from him, but that only gave him the opportunity to press his lips against her neck and run his tongue up her skin until it reached her ear. Her hands came up and fisted the collar of his jacket, and she didn't know if she was pushing him away or pulling him closer. All she knew was that he smelled amazing and his body was like fire.

Blair licked her bottom lip, and felt an immediate reaction in Chuck's body where it now pressed into her.

"You've been naughty…" He breathed into her ear.

"Never." She panted as her eyes rolled up into her head. His tongue was now swirling around her earlobe and making her think of its many valued uses.

"You have… I spoke to Dr. Kraft…"

"Oh?" Was all she managed before she let slip a moan… a moan that was caused by his hands beginning to explore her body. Caressing. Squeezing.

"My count was zero weeks ago…"

"You should have his license pulled…" And she gasped as his hands found her ass and clutched it tightly as he yanked her hips towards him.

"Well… that might be harsh. Since apparently your promise to get his daughter into Constance secured a faulty count…"

"You can't prove that…" Her eyes managed to focus for a moment as she looked at him with triumph, knowing she'd left no paper trail.

"I don't have to…" He breathed against her lips and his tongue slipped out to trace their perfection. "I just need to know why you're running away from me… You know I like a good chase… but I was getting the distinct impression that you actually didn't want to get caught…"

Her eyes swept down and hid from him. "I wasn't ready…"

His hands came up to cup her jaw and hold her face to his. "You could have told me… I wouldn't have—"

"I know." She cut him off softly, because she knew he wouldn't. "But you can be very persuasive… and I didn't want persuading."

He could feel the vibration in her body. One of his hands slipped down her thigh to catch her below her knee and pull her leg up onto his hip. Sweat poured off of her, as he pressed closer.

"Are you ready now?" He asked huskily, but already knew the answer.

"YES!" She half bellowed as her hands let go of his collar to grab the back of his head and pull him into a wet, passion filled kiss.

Serena and Dan sat on the curb outside his loft. Their knees were drawn up to their chests and they each had vacant stares as they looked at the sky.

"You know they're having sex all over your loft, right?"

"I'm going to have to move."

"Yep."

TahDAH! Okay that was a very rambling chapter, and no, I didn't proof read it. Sorry! The jump comes in the next chapter, and I'm thinking we're going ahead five years. Don't worry! Trust me! I'll fill in the gaps.


	27. Chapter 27

Hello! Oh, the news I have. I saved it for I Told You. When you read my stuff… have you noticed I've seemed smarter lately? And I should tell you as I typed I spelt smarter wrong. Oops. Whatever! I am now a university graduate! You are reading the work of an author who has an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a major in Women's Studies and a minor in Political Science (it should be a double major but I screwed up and couldn't find my last Poli Sci class so I was three credit short of the double major. Which leads to a longer story, so I'll stop there). Anyhoo, I am SUPER proud of me. I am now a university educated… Unemployed person. Can they mail me my degree if I'm homeless? Here we go…

Chuck walked into the darkened apartment and rolled his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. Not one light had been left on for him. She really could be vindictive sometimes. It one of the things that he first loved about her. Luckily he had the layout down pat. Taking off his jacket he tossed it across a settee off to the side of the foyer, knowing that a valet would put it away in the morning.

Chuck loved his work, but he also loved coming home. He loved his home. He was a boy who had grown up in hotels, and he loved hotels. He had loved living in them, owning them, designing them and building them. With the exception of the occasional bane of bedbugs, he loved everything about hotels. As a boy he had vowed to always live in a hotel he owned. He wanted to be the boss.

But he was a man now. He didn't live in a hotel, and even on his best day he couldn't trick her into letting him be the boss. He was a man who had built a home with a woman he loved beyond all reason. Their home wasn't in a hotel. It was a penthouse on the Upper East Side that looked over the park. It was more than that though. Everything in this home was touched by Blair. They'd nearly divorced over her choice of carpet in the living room, but even then he ceded to her taste. She'd been right in the end anyway.

Out of habit he went to Harry's room first to check on him. He wasn't surprised to see that the ten year old's light was still on. Harry lay on his back, his arms lax on his stomach and a manga comic still open on his chest. The older Harry got, the more Chuck saw himself and Blair in their first son. Everyday Harry grew more their son. What relieved Chuck was that while Harry clearly had many of their own personality traits, he lacked many of the emotions that Chuck and Blair had had at his age. It was clear that Harry Bass had no idea what it was like to feel unloved or unwanted. Already he was endowed with a confidence and self-esteem that stemmed only from a place of one's assurance that they were deep loved unconditionally by one's parents. All the need, anxiety and hurt that had been so present in their own childhoods were absent in both of their sons'.

Chuck quietly went to the side of Harry's bed and gently pulled the comic out from hands that were so much like his own. Knowing that this was something he could now only get away with when Harry was not conscious, Chuck leaned in and kissed the boy's forehead. He smiled to himself knowing how put out it would make Harry if he knew. On his tenth birthday Harry had announced that as he was now in double digits, he wasn't a child anymore so they should cease to treat him as such. Chuck had just raised a brow to that, but his wife's response had been a little different. She'd taken away every toy he'd received for his birthday. She had refused to give them back, and in fact had started to put together herself one of the model planes he'd received, until Harry had conceded that maybe, possibly, one might see in a certain light… that he wasn't quite an adult yet.

Much like his parents, the boy liked to win. Chuck still had that in him as well. In business and in society, he still liked to be in control and on top. It also kept him and Blair as frisky as ever. However when it came to the boys Chuck was more inclined to let them have their way. Lily had told him on more than one occasion he over indulged them. Whatever. Blair on the other hand seemed to thrive in battle with their sons and especially Harry. It was like chess where Blair was the Master and Harry was ever improving on his game. To the granola parents of the West Village it seemed insane, but Chuck could see how much each enjoyed the game. It was never vindictive. It was always all Bass… Well… Waldorf Bass.

Chuck flicked off the light and then went across the hall to peek into Bart's room. No shockers there, and he sought his own suite. Walking into the bedroom he was not surprised to find that Blair was not alone. As was his usual punishment for working past one in the morning more than three times in a week, she'd taken another man to her bed. Chuck walked to he edge of the bed and scowled down at the intruder who lay sprawled across Chuck's side of the bed.

As if sensing that he was being watched his eyes opened. "Bart." Chuck greeted.

His son's eyes narrowed for a moment, clearly put out by having his sleep disturbed, before he rolled over onto his belly, shoved his bum in the air, tucked his thumb into his mouth and went back to sleep.

Chuck rolled his eyes, and without hesitation scooped the almost five year old out of his bed.

His youngest son frowned at him, but didn't argue. But that wasn't anything new. Bart had always been a boy of few words, unlike his brother.

From the beginning people had commented about how quiet he was. Since this was Chuck's first experience with an infant he'd take it to be normal, but after the repeated comments Chuck had asked Blair about it. Blair had shrugged and said Bart was perfect and took after her side of the family so he was just too much of a gentleman to cry, coo or babble overly much. As time went on he could see it start to worry her too.

Physically he was fine. Bart walked earlier then the average Chuck had looked up online, and he'd used that skill to follow his older brother around everywhere he went. Harry didn't take that one well. At seventeen months he'd started doing small shape puzzles with little difficulty, and once finished he would take them to Harry and hold them out. More than once both Blair and Chuck had caught Harry calmly reaching over and tapping the edge so that the pieces fell out and onto the floor, but every once in a blue moon one of them would spy Harry looking impressed at this little brother's work and confirming it with a, "Not bad." They knew his hearing was fine because Bart always seemed to be listening, especially when his big brother was talking.

But by two years old he had yet to speak a word. Blair had gone into overdrive. They'd taken him to every major doctor and speech specialist in North America and even a few in Europe. Every one of them told the anxious, demanding parents the same thing. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with their son. Blair spent hours trying to coax him into speech. She nagged both Chuck and Harry into going to family therapy to try to get Bart to talk. Nothing. Chuck was worried but he was more concerned over Blair. He could tell that she felt like she was failing as a parent, as a mother, in not being successful in helping Bart. Chuck knew it was coming and was ready for it. As she snapped he got her away from everyone and took her to one of their hotels close by. He locked them in the suite and let her shatter. He was there to pick up the pieces. She cried in his arms for hours. She loved Bart so much, and they had all the money and power in the world to get him help… why didn't it work? Why couldn't she get him to talk? What if he never talked? Chuck didn't have a lot of answers, he just held her until she was spent, and then spoke quietly.

"We've done and are doing all we can… if he never talks… who cares?"

"Chuck—"

"I know. You do. But in the end… he's healthy. And maybe the quiet will be nice? Harry talks enough for both of them."

Blair had smiled at his teasing tone. "We could get him a talking board… Think how it would annoy Harry…"

Chuck smiled and kissed the top of her head. "It will be okay, Blair. No matter what, it will be okay…"

In the end it appeared, like a true Waldorf-Bass, Bart did everything on his own terms.

His first word surprised no one. The family of four stood on the tarmac as their oldest son prepared to fly to France alone for the first time to visit his many grandparents. He was just heading up the stairs of the private plane when he turned and looked back to wave at his parents and brother. It was in that moment that it appeared Bart realized his brother was going somewhere and that he was staying behind. At two and a half, as he was held in his father's arms, Bart Bass reached out a small, plump, wanting hand towards his older brother and finally spoke. "Harry."

Blair would refer to that early time as the first time Bart tried to drive her crazy. After the seal was broken, more words had come out of Bart. He was never verbose, but it became very clear that while he was highly verbal, he spoke only when he chose to. It appeared that they had yet another son whom they loved dearly… but who seemed hell bent on making them insane.

Now he walked with Bart tucked to his chest to his own room, kissed his soft cheek… and then half dropped him into his own bed. Bart again scowled at his father, and Chuck just raised a brow.

"Just so you know… It's hard to look intimidating with your thumb in your mouth…"

Bart just sucked harder.

"Very well… Goodnight, son. Oh, and I wonder what your mother will do when she catches you with that thumb in your mouth…"

The pop that his thumb made as it was yanked out of his mouth made Chuck laugh as he headed out the door. Last week Blair had painted Bart's thumb with a foul tasting polish while he was sleeping. It had been a torturous morning and in the end he'd still sucked his thumb into the later morning… and thrown up in the afternoon. The thumb battle continued. Blair thought thumb sucking was classless. Chuck had made the mistake once of pointing out that so was cracking your knuckles. He hadn't walked right for the rest of the day.

Back in their suite he stripped and changed into his silk pajamas, and got ready for bed. Within seconds of him lying down, Blair turned and curled herself around him. Chuck smiled and held her easily, and played with one dark curl.

"Where's Bart?" Blair murmured sleepily as she rubbed her face into Chuck's silk covered chest.

"In his own bed. Where he belongs." Chuck replied and slightly pulled her curl.

Her hand came up to flick his hand away from her hair, and he let go but caught her fingers, holding them in his. She smiled and squeezed back as she drawled. "I don't know… just because someone has a bed doesn't mean they belong there. Apparently some people belong in a chair at a desk until all hours of the night. In which case they forfeit said rights to the bed in question, and the then sole user may invite anyone they wish to fill the space."

"Am I so easily replaceable?"

"A girl needs someone to keep her bed warm."

"I'm sure I have more to offer. Especially since I so love doing more than just warming your bed…"

"I have your replacement for that as well. Bottom drawer of my nightstand. I call him Etienne." She mused fondly.

"If I told you I was sorry for being late would you forgive me?"

"It would depend on what was hanging from my wrist at the Hope Ball next week…"

"Diamonds…"

"Then you're forgiven… Almost." She said calmly… and bit his chest.

Chuck flinched at the slight pain, and growled as he rolled her underneath him. He caught her hands and pinned them above her head. "That wasn't very nice…"

"Who ever said that I was very nice?" She looked at him with giant doe eyes and a coy expression.

A smile curved Chuck's seductive mouth and he started to rock his body against hers. Blair moaned at the sensations that were now rioting through her, all of which went into overdrive at the passion that assaulted her as his lips took hers.

Later they lay, sated and half asleep, on the damp sheet and picked the conversation up where it had left off.

"Bass… I wonder if there is anything you could do to make me stay mad at you?"

"I'd prefer to never find out…"

"Let's keep it that way." She warned and then smiled. "As of now you are forgiven for being so derelict in your husbandly duties and staying away too late and too long."

She played with the hair on his chest, and kissed the spot that was still red from her bite. "You're forgiven now. Besides it would be a pity to take it out on you now when we're headed into a full month of just us and the boys up in the Hamptons…" Blair smiled happily.

It took all of Chuck's efforts to remain relaxed in her arms. He didn't want to tell her, especially now when they were both awake and their warm bodies were pressed so close. He didn't want to tell her, so he didn't.

TahDAH! Okay so is there a bunch of smarty-pants readers who are like, "She's a university grad and LOOK at all those typos?" I'm still lazy. I'm just lazy with an Honours BA. Okay so that was the first lay in chapter after the jump. I'm saying we jump almost five years and I'm fudging Harry's age a little. Forgive me? Still love me? I'm making Harry ten. More will come out about everybody in the coming chapters. Feel free to ask me any questions. Ummm… there was something else I wanted to tell you all… but I've forgotten…


	28. Chapter 28

Hello! Have you ever bought something that you were sure was going to taste amazing… only to have it taste like crap? I bought banana nut cheerios. I like banana. I like cheerios. Get ready for tasty goodness, right? Wrong. So, so wrong. So, so gross. Here we go…

Blair woke up in the morning with the warmth of the sun on her shoulder. She pulled the sleep mask from her face and rolled over to look at her husband's side of the bed. It was empty. That was becoming unsurprising. The frown was chased from her face and she smiled as she reminded herself that that wouldn't be for long. As of tomorrow she'd wakeup with him every morning for a month. She'd already packed several outfits for those occasions, along with handcuffs and a few of their favourite props. Last night had been amazing, but over too soon. She missed the days where they wouldn't leave their bed let alone their room. Because of this she'd already ensured that along with a great deal of family time, there would be plenty of times where they'd be sans children. She wanted him all to herself. She wanted to do bad things to him… and have him do even more to her.

Blair's smile turned seductive and she shifted on the bed just thinking about her plans for the next month. She threw off the covers, eager to get this last day over with, and practically skipped to the shower. She hummed to herself as she shampooed and conditioned her hair, and she took extra time to dry and curl it to make time go faster. Once done she stood and inspected herself in the mirror. As she edged towards her mid thirties… Blair was still impressed with her looks. Care and genes did pay off and as yet she felt no desire to take it any further.

She went to the closet and selected a set of under things and a dress. She added some accessories and was ready to go. Finally leaving the suite she spotted the boys' maid coming out of Bart's room, and she paused to smile at the woman.

"Good morning!" Blair chirped. She was in her best mood in weeks and because of this clear shift the maid had the courage to speak.

"Ms. Blair?"

"Yes, Hilda?"

"I've packed all the boys' clothes and such, but I wasn't sure what they'd want to take in terms of toys and whatnot."

Blair nodded. "I'll speak with them. We're only taking the essentials with us tomorrow morning. The bulk of our things will be driven to the house, but Mr. Chuck, the boys and I will be flying."

The maid smiled fondly. "Mr. Harry does love to fly…"

"That he does." Blair smiled back before mentally reminding her self to pack a Valium for herself and a gravol for Bart. Neither one of them did well with the short flight on the small jet.

With a dismissing smile Blair walked away from the maid and headed downstairs. As she approached the dining room she was surprised to hear Chuck's voice. She quickened her step to join her family.

"I would have hurried had I known you were staying for breakfast." Blair said with a glowing smile as she strode into the room.

The tension she walked into hit her like a brick wall and the smile wavered on her face.

Chuck sat at the head of the table with a son on either side, but his gaze was focused on Harry. Harry for his part was slouched in his seat glowering at his father. None of them had spoken since just after they'd heard her heals on the polished oak floors.

"Harry?" Blair questioned.

With suppressed anger Harry shoved back his chair and stood up. He started to walk out, but Blair's hand gently touching his arm gave him pause.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Blair asked, as she looked concerned over her son's angry expression.

"Dad would appreciate it if we let him be the one to tell you…" Harry repeated his father's request with a fake smile and then stormed out of the room.

Bart stood up from his own seat, walked up to her and wrapped himself around her waist, hugging her tightly before looking over his shoulder to scowl at his father. Chuck flinched under the judgmental gaze and was keenly aware of where his son's loyalties lay at the moment, but he said nothing as the younger boy followed his brother out of the room.

Blair eyed Chuck cautiously and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her gut. She walked into the room and sat opposite to him, setting them at apposing ends of the table.

"Dare I ask?" She raised a brow and spoke calmly.

Chuck looked nervous. For a man who rarely looked that way this did not bode well.

"Something has come up…"

She said nothing, merely keeping her eyes trained on him and reading his every action. He wished he had a scotch in his hand.

"… The development I've been working on, the one that has demanded my full attention these past few weeks… I can't leave work right now…"

"I see…" The disappointment was crushing. Blair tried to stay calm, which involved becoming very still and the emotions being swept from her face. She took up the napkin at the side of her place and snapped it before laying it across her lap. "So we'll only expect you on the weekends?"

"I'm needed on site… In Hong Kong…"

The air was sucked out of the room and the couple sat in total silence and neither moved a muscle. It was as if they both stayed still because to move was to feel the disappointment, the anger… the rage. When it felt like they were about to suffocate she finally spoke.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning…"

Blair stood abruptly and threw her napkin down on her empty plate. "See you in September."

She left the room and Chuck sat alone in her wake.

Blair went back to her room and was about to slam the door and possibly start throwing things when she saw Bart sitting on the bed. She sighed and walked over to flop down next to him, and lay on her back staring up at the vaulted ceiling above her. His legs were crossed underneath him, and one of his small hands came out and gently stroked her hair like she did for him sometimes when he and Harry had had a particularly bad fight.

Her mind was racing. He loved his job, she couldn't fault him that because she loved her own. She wrote freelance for several major fashion magazines and had an online advice column which had a daily off the chart hit count. She sat on the board of Bass Industries. She headed several major charities and was also the head of the Constance, St. Jude Parents Board. On top of that she went to every one of her children's events, from piano recitals and school plays, to the time Bart was into modernism and was in a performance piece where he sat in a chair for three hours wearing an Oprah T-shirt. If Aaron hadn't have been able to produce his birth records, Chuck had been planning to have him deported over that one.

In the end she knew they were both busy almost all of the time, and this was why this month was so important. They'd done if every year for the past four years so it shouldn't have come as any surprise to his schedule. She wanted this time for them. She needed this time for them.

After a few minutes she looked over at Bart and asked two questions, both of which she already knew the answer to.

"How would you like to go to Hong Kong for a month?"

Bart shrugged.

"How would Harry?"

Bart shook his head. They both knew Harry would have loved to go up in July and having to wait until August had made him act as if he was being tortured beyond reason. Many of his schoolmates were up there along with his select group of friends. He had often stated he was the only one of his circle who had been left to swelter in Manhattan this summer. He was also missing his own Archibald.

Four years ago Nate had married a divorcee, who told everyone she was thirty-seven, but who Blair knew for a fact was forty-five. Marlene brought with her four children from previous relationships, the oldest being a twenty two year old who Marlene insisted was seventeen, and a youngest who was seven. After Blair had had to sit through numerous dinner parties where Marlene would lament over her frustration at her and Nate not being able to conceive and the strangeness of it, with Chuck placing his hand on Blair's knee to try to reign in her retort about old eggs and a dried oven, Marlene and Nate had contracted a surrogate to carry a child for them. Their gestational carrier was due with their twins in November.

Harry couldn't care a less about the others. He'd met Grayson, Marlene's second youngest, and had made a fast friend. Given that Harry didn't like many people, this was quite a turn of events. The boys were inseparable in St. Jude's and out, with the exception of Gray's soccer time and Harry's piano lessons.

She tried to smile at her youngest. "Then it looks like it will just be the three of us this summer."

Sighing, she got up from the bed and shoved down all her anger. She had one night to give him a time he wouldn't forget when he was across the world in China.

Later that night after a tense dinner, Blair was in their room when she heard Chuck's voice in the hall. She quickly did up her robe and headed out there. She immediately noticed that he was wearing a fresh suit and had set his hair.

"I was just coming to find you…" He said almost sheepishly, or as sheepishly as Chuck Bass was capable of.

"Where are you going?" She cut to the chase.

"I have to go back to the office and prepare the team… I was just saying goodbye to the boys…" He cleared his throat and reached into his breast pocket to pull out a long jewelry case. "For the Hamptons event…"

She didn't even look at it. Her eyes filled with tears but she held them back. "You couldn't even give me tonight?"

His brain searched for an answer but he couldn't find one. Then it was like a switch had been thrown and she didn't look like she was going to cry anymore. He almost wished that she did and would.

She looked at him and his blood ran cold.

"I am not going to think of you for the entire time you are gone. I am not going to give you one thought, one longing, one ounce of my brain or affection. I hope for the next month your work brings you joy, because I won't be offering you any." She baldly decreed.

"Blair…" He beseeched, as he was so dug in that he didn't know how to get out.

"Goodbye, Chuck." She looked at his with cold eyes and tried to shove that ice into her heart. "And you can keep that bracelet. I can buy my own."

Turning on her heel, she strode back into their room. Her room, she corrected in her head. She flicked the lock and leaned against the door, softly banging her head against the wood. Then she looked around and felt sadness twist her stomach. The room was filled with candles. By the bed lay Chuck's favourite body oil, as well as a bottle of champagne and a bowl of strawberries. All for nothing.

"Blair…" He whispered through the door and there was so much said in just his use of her name.

It said that he was sorry. That he love her. That he wished things were different.

She steeled herself against that haunting timber and shut her heart. He had wanted out for a month, and that was exactly what he was going to get. For the next month Chuck Bass was dead to her.

TahDAH! Okay, I know! You Chairs are like "What the hell is she doing? This is a CB fic!" I had to get rid of Chuck… for a little while… in order to open up what is going to come next.

I tried to give you more of the blueprint as to where some of our other characters are. We are going to see Serena in the next chapter, as well as Dorota and possibly Dan. I don't know if I've said this before, but… Blair and Dorota's relationship might be my favourite of the whole show. I was going to have the maid (Hilda) in the hall be Dorota, but I think the boys would have their own care at this age… and Blair wouldn't want to share her Dorota. And interesting discussion came up recently and it's given me fic ideas… we always talk about triangles. CBN or the newer CBD or CBL, but I never buy them. It's Chuck. It's always Chuck. Now where I think it might be a rougher choice… say if Chuck and Serena went to war and drew a line in the sand that Blair had to choose? OOoooOOOooo! I may write a fic for that.


	29. Chapter 29

Hello! I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first? Good news? Done. I have a job! It's not really in my field of study and the pay isn't super, BUT it will keep me off the streets and the debt collectors away from my door. So… Yea! The bad news… I am now employed. I'm going to try to keep up a good pace in updating, but I have no idea how that will go. Fingers cross none of you will even notice that I'm a working girl now… wait… did that come out wrong? I also updated so quickly lately that I don't remember if I sent out thank yous for reviews, and I didn't want to do it because what if I had and then you all thought I'd gone crazy? So… I'm a just gonna say THANK YOU right here and hope you all don't point out that I seem to have zero short-term memory. Here we go…

Blair sat in the limo pretending everything was fine. She was bound and determined that this would be an amazing summer, in fact their best summer yet. She was about to think that she was going to kill him for doing this, but then she reminded herself that he was dead to her for the next month. She looked over at her sons, who she now looked at as being the result of Immaculate Conception, and reminded herself that she was not the only one disappointed. Harry hadn't said much since this morning about his father not being there. He seemed to be most preoccupied with them getting to the Hamptons in time for him to attend Gray's family's barbeque. And by family barbeque they meant at least a hundred of their closest friends and family. Harry insisted he had missed enough events and that he had to attend this one. He was already dressed in a pale lilac polo t-shirt, purple plaid pressed shorts, and white Bottegas over his purple knee socks.

Bart, verbose child that he was, had shockingly said nothing.

They'd flown out on schedule, landed on time, and were now seated in the limo as it drove them to their place on the beach.

"Can't Arthur drive any faster?" Harry complained as he flopped against the leather seats.

"Not if he doesn't want me to fire him…" Blair commented as she scrolled through her recent text messages. There were four from Chuck as well as three ignored calls. She sighed and then looked up at Harry. "The party isn't going anywhere. We have plenty of time to go home, change and get there."

Harry groaned as if tortured by knives. "Can't you just drop me off? Is that too much to ask in life?"

"You poor tortured soul." Blair deadpanned, but she signaled to Arthur and told him of their pit stop.

They pulled up the long circular driveway that was kept clear by a valet service. Harry didn't wait for his door to be opened, but shoved it out of his way and started to climb out of the car. His mother's sharp words brought him up short.

"Take your brother with you."

"Why?" Harry moaned.

"Because I believe I just said so." Blair said smoothly. "You didn't want to wait for me to change, so you are now charged with the minding of you brother. I want him back in the same condition to which I've left him with you."

Harry stomped his feet and kicked gravel as he got out of the lime and didn't turn around as barked. "Fine. Let's go, Bart!"

Bart looked at her with wide eyes that seemed to make it clear how much fun this afternoon was looking to be for him. He wanted to go with Harry, but Harry in his present mood wasn't always pretty. Blair tilted her face and Bart kissed her cheek before climbing out of the car. He looked at her again, and Blair smiled at him. "I'll be back soon."

"BART!" Harry barked from the front door.

Blair rolled her eyes and then looked at her baby. "I promise. If he's exceptionally rude to you, you have my permission to push him in the pool. Bottegas and all."

Bart gave her his first real smile of the day.

Blair sat alone in the back of the cool limo. When they pulled up to the house and Arthur opened her door she stepped out into the wall of humidity and the heat wrapped around her and stole her breath. Even the wind was hot. She left Arthur and a maid to see to the bags and hurried into the air conditioning of their country home. She stepped in and it was both beautiful and hurtful at the same time. She still remembered their first summer here. Harry had been six and Bart had been just a baby when Chuck had made her leave the boys with Lily on an early spring day as they went and looked at house after house along the water. Given they were a couple that enjoyed a certain esthetic standards, they had shot down many, and Chuck had begun to suggest they just buy the land they wanted, knock the substandard house down and start from scratch. Blair had been reluctant because that would take a whole other year if more and she didn't want that. She wanted to have a place of their own this summer. She had begun to think they would never find a place… until they were driving over to see Serena in her new beach house and traveling down a tree lined road… when Blair saw it. It was perfect. Large and sprawling but with a sense of a home the blue house with the dark roof and white shudders called out to her. The wind blew off the ocean and made the sea grass dance, and the branches in the old growth willow trees sway. There was an English garden. There was a pool and tennis courts. There was a wide lawn that led to a wooden boardwalk that took you right to the ocean. It was the place Blair had dreamed of when she was a little girl and thought of a family of her own having. She'd turned to Chuck and all of this had been in her huge dark eyes. Chuck had had the car stopped. He'd gotten out. He'd knocked on the door of the dream house that wasn't for sale. It had been theirs before he'd left the doorway.

Now she was here with the children she'd dreamed of this house for… but not the man. Shaking her head she tried to put it out of her mind and she went to change for the party.

A half hour later Harry leaned back against the lounger set under a copes of trees with a view of the lawn and pool. He had been adamant that he had to be here, and now that he was he was determined to give of the air of nonchalance. As he slowly scanned the party with parents' eyes, he picked up several of the undercurrents that were rolling through. While the adult nuances were lost on him, he very clearly read the next generations'. Sadie Hall was twelve but dressing like she was eighteen. She told everyone it was because she liked older boys, but Harry could practically hear his mother comment on Daddy Issues. The Daniels twins were already high off their mother's prescription meds and were staring at a rose bush. They hadn't been right since their Star Trek Bar Mitzvah.

For their own show of rebellion Gray had stolen a bottle of whiskey from the bar and they were all drinking pop that had been laced from it. Harry knew that if he was caught his mother would kill him, but several of the more need of the group were eager for it, so Harry had adapted a 'When in Rome" attitude for the day. He ignored the judging look the most annoying five year old on the planet sent him from the tree he was sitting under nearby. They both knew that they were forbidden liquor on anything other than very special occasions… or when they were in France with their grandparents. Apparently drinking French wine in France was acceptable to their mother as she told them the air made in non-alcoholic and in fact healthy or at the very least a cultural experience, which made their father smile every time she used that lie. A little looser with the rules Chuck had let Harry have sips from his glass more frequently. When Harry would ask his father about this, Chuck would just smile slyly and say that some times if things were forbidden it made a person want them more, and so with a little alcohol here and there he hoped both boys would see that you controlled it not it you. Wise words from a former lush Blair would say when she caught Chuck, as she would accuse, "plying the boys". It didn't take a genius to know that Chuck enjoyed a drink, but Harry had rarely seen him drunk. His father would comment that he now only over drank when she drove him to it. Harry grimaced as he imagined his father was probably going to be plastered for the next month.

The bitter feeling that he'd pushed down into his belly since learning of his father's absence from this summer bubbled up from his gut and Harry took a deep drink from his glass as he shoved the resentment back down. He wasn't hurt, he told himself. He was just angry on behalf of his mother and brother. He was, after all, practically grown up. He didn't need Chuck to be there that summer; it was just that his little brother and clearly their mother did.

It was as he was scanning again that he first saw her and he sat up in his seat. She stood by the pool in a light purple day dress that the wind ruffled around her legs. She wore white sandals that matched a white bow that sat on the headband she wore in her hair. Her hair was a mass so dark it could only be called black and bounced well past her shoulders in long loose ringlets. He couldn't see her eyes from here but from what he could see her whole face… made him want to see it more. Made him want to know it. As he stared he became away that there was something familiar about her.

"Who is that?" Harry asked, knowing that he should remember but finding it to all be too fuzzy.

Gray followed his gaze until he saw who his friend was looking at. "Who? The Pain?"

"You mean The Royal Pain." Another snickering boy clarified.

Harry just raised an eyebrow Gray who went onto explain to him. "She used to go to Constance, then her dad moved them to London a few years ago, and now they're back here. She thinks everything and everyone in the UK is better than here. She acts like she's royalty… get it."

"Yes." Harry rolled his eyes. "Once again I am taken by your level of creativity…"

His sarcasm was lost on everyone but his little brother.

"Excuse me." Harry said as he rose and started towards the pool.

Bart quickly got up and followed him.

As he got closer he noticed something he hadn't before. There were several girls that surrounded The Pain and they all started whispering as they noticed his approach. If it had been any other boy he probably would have been quaking at this. But this was Harry Bass. He had yet to be afraid of speaking to anyone about anything and that wasn't any different now. With the confidence of one who is not only secure but likes himself, he sauntered into the girl filled circle.

"Ladies…" He drawled as his eyes stayed on The Pain.

Several of the girls giggled and said hello, but she wouldn't look at him. He wondered again at the colour of her eyes and was too caught up to even care that he did.

"I'm Harry Bass." He held out his hand.

"I know who you are." She said coolly, her chin up in the air as she looked towards the party and not at him.

"I'm not surprised…" He said with his father's cockiness.

"That's not a compliment." She said and while he couldn't see them he knew she'd just rolled her eyes. It was then that she must have caught sight of his shadow that was also known as his little brother. "Who's the midget?" She asked with disdain.

Harry liked her immediately.

Bart hated her instantly.

Harry chuckled and tried again. "Well, we couldn't have known each other that well if you don't know my little brother, Bart."

"You didn't have a brother when I knew you." She said as she held up the teacup in her hand and shook it at another girl in command. The other girl scampered off to get The Pain a refill.

"Ahh…" Harry leaned back on his heals reflectively. "The brotherless years. Good times."

He got the feeling that she would have smiled if she didn't clearly hate him. But he smiled at her and ignored the indignation he felt coming from Bart. He'd live.

Harry leaned in a little and murmured. "Remind me…"

"You and your penis ruined my birthday party."

For a moment he thought she was a lunatic. He and his penis had never ruined anything. As far as Harry was concerned he and his penis were an excellent pair. Then a very distant and fuzzy memory crept into his mind.

"You." He smile stretched his mouth. "If you were a better hostess… maybe I wouldn't have been so driven…"

She was just about to speak, and he was sure finally look at him, when Gray stumbled into his side. "Dude, your mom is here!"

"So…"

"So?" Gray said as he grabbed the glass of 'soda' Harry still held in his hand.

All of their eyes swung across the pool and landed on Blair Waldorf-Bass. Harry groaned and knew it was too late. He could only hope that he'd only get in trouble for drinking pop rather than what was in the pop. It was then that he glanced back at The Pain. Her eyes were locked on his mother, but they flittered to him and something he'd never felt before fluttered in his stomach.

Purple. Her eyes were so blue they looked purple.

For a moment he was still stunned until he felt Bart dragging him away and towards their displeased looking mother.

"Were you drinking soda?" Blair asked sharply and then her eyes narrowed on his and she leaned in slightly to smell him. It was very clear that he had broken more than just her ban on chemical rich pop. Harry knew he was done for. "Go wait in the car. This is unacceptable."

Harry knew better then to argue when she used that tone, and so he quickly took off. He did however glance back at The Pain once and was surprised to see her still staring at Blair.

Blair glared at him until he disappeared and then raised a brow at her youngest that stood beside her. He shrugged and looked innocent, so she let it go. With that set aside she took his hand and made the rounds, greeting and chatting with people as she went. She didn't want to stay. She wasn't in the mood for an afternoon party, but she had to put in the appearance. She had to let them know that Blair Waldorf was there.

She moved through the party and was aware that she was being watched, but since this feeling wasn't new, she ignored it. As she and Bart made their way out she came upon the girl Harry had been talking to when Blair had arrived. Blair couldn't help but smile at her, yes she was a perfect example of a girl, but it was more than that. Blair had seen the way Harry had looked at the girl. If Blair knew one thing… it was that this was her son's first crush. For that reason alone Blair wanted to know the girl better, but there was also something else… something behind the nearly purple eyes that seemed oddly familiar to Blair, but she couldn't put her finger on it. For now she merely nodded at the girl.

"Hello, I'm Ms. Waldorf-Bass. And you are?"

The girl actually curtsied slightly before she spoke. "Violet Chambers."

A genuine smile curved Blair's mouth causing her cheeks to dimple. It was perfect, Blair thought to herself. The boy who loved purple liked a girl named Violet.

"Nice to meet you, Violet." Blair nodded again as she excused herself and Bart. "See you around…"

Blair walked away with Bart's hand still held in hers and she didn't notice the way he looked back at the girl over his shoulder with a frown. She merely walked to the car and planned the ways she was going to kill her son for drinking at ten… and then dream with the knowledge that her little boy had a crush tonight.

Purple eyes watched her go with longing… and calculation.

TahDAH! Okay, so I should probably stress here that Harry is not… wanting Violet. I'm not big on the hyper-sexualizing of children. Everyone is different and everyone develops at different times. I'm going to try to bring into it that Chuck, for example, developed early and fast for several reason that were both nature and a lot of nurture. Harry, while like his father in many ways, isn't Chuck. For Harry I'm having Violet as his first crush, and by that I mean it's the first time he's really noticed that girls are different than boys… and he likes it, especially this girl. Harry Bass, once again unlike his father, has been raised with a great deal of love and attention. This is part of the reason he doesn't seek and crave pleasure in all forms… but he'll like it as it comes over time.

PS- Three weeks to go! Can't wait. SOoooOOooo tired of waiting to find out who the frak is preggers!


	30. Chapter 30

Hello! I have a favour to ask. It's about one of my first CB fics, Checkmate. I am by no means telling you to read it if you don't want to, but here's the thing… It's on the favourite story list of 195 people. For some reason that just sits funny with me and I'd really like to see it hit 200, so if there are five lovely people out there who have either read it or would like to give it a shot, could you take a look at it and maybe consider if for your favourites list? I have NO idea why it gets under my skin, but every time I see that 195, I'm like, "So close! My baby is SO close to 200!" If you don't want to or don't like the story, that is TOTALLY cool and you don't have to do anything. Buuuutttt… if there are five people out there who would… You'd be my five favourite people of the day… Quite the honour, no? Now enough Checkmate talk. Onto I Told You! Here we go…

"You're doing it!" She demanded sharply.

"Am not!" Harry said as he slouched into the couch and folded his arms across his chest.

"Yes. You. Are." Blair pointedly said every word.

"No. I'm. Not." Harry mutinously said back.

"Harold Bass you are taking this phone and calling your father to tell him that you were drinking at that party."

She held out the phone and shook it in his face to get him to take it.

A smirk broke out across his mouth and he looked at her knowingly. "Nope. But by all means, Mother, you go ahead and dial that phone and tell him what I did. Oh, wait… You can't…"

Blair stomped her foot in frustration and looked towards the ceiling. "Why don't I believe in hitting my children?" Her eyes snapped back to her still smirking son. "And don't call me 'Mother'."

Harry knew she couldn't call Chuck for a month because it would mean breaking her August embargo against him and it would take a greater act then this for her to do that. Blair was caught. What also killed her was that she and Chuck had made a pact years ago to never keep the other in the dark about things to do with the boys. It had paid off on many occasions when Harry had tried to play them against each other, but it was really biting Blair in the ass right now.

Blair shut her eyes and counted to ten. When she opened them against her serene yet focused gaze landed on her oldest son with an air of conviction. Never a good sign. Harry swallowed hard.

"I apologize, Harold."

He knew better than to fall for this. While his body was still sprawled in what seemed to be abandon on the cushions, everything inside of him tightened. He waited.

Blair gave him a perfect smile. "I should never have brought you into mine and your father's little… disagreement. While he will know of what happened…"

She looked at him pointedly before going on. "I don't need us to tag team you on this. I am more than capable of inflicting—administering—" She corrected. "The consequences of your actions."

Harry thought he was going to puke. He knew very well that while his parents were most often a team in their parenting, Blair had never been a 'just wait till your father gets home' kind of mom.

"I trusted you to attend the party without my supervision and I trusted you with the care of you brother. Your attempted inebriation broke that trust."

"What are you saying?"

"Until you earn it back… And tell your father what you did…"

Harry couldn't help but lean in. The fate of his summer hung on her every word.

"You and I will be spending nearly all our waking moments together in a beautiful summer of Mother/Son bonding!" She pronounced with relish and a giant Cheshire smile. She loved twisting the knife.

She felt a rush of triumph as loudly groaned as if experiencing the worst torture known to man. He had two choices, he could crack and call his father to tell him what he'd done or he would be a Mama's Boy until he did. Harry knew this was often whispered on the playground, but he knew no one had the guts to say it to his face. Interestingly he cared less about the forced bonding and more about the standoff he and his mother were now in. He was a Waldorf-Bass after all. He hated to lose.

"For tonight? Go to your room. I'll have your supper brought to you, and I suggest you turn in early. We'll have a big day tomorrow!" She only got perkier as he stood and stomped out of the room. She made a mental note to check his birth certificate to make sure he was ten and not fourteen.

It was about now that she felt a laser beam drilling into her back and she turned around to face it. The whole time Bart had been sitting quietly with his iPad on an overstuffed chair in the corner of the room. His large eyes narrowed at her and his mouth twisted to the side. She looked at him now with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, this means you too. It's the Summer of Mother/Son bonding." She repeated.

She pointed one finger into her chest. "Mother." She clarified before pointing one perfectly polished finger at him. "Son."

Almost five year olds should not be able to roll their eyes, Blair thought to herself as she observed her youngest focus back on his screen. I should have had a girl, Blair bemoaned to the ceiling giving the eye roll from which her son had learned the trait.

Back at the Archibalds…

Violet stood on the driveway of the Archibald's house and pulled her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. The party had long since passed winding down, if not totally over, and her father had yet to pick her up. The sun was setting and causing long shadows to be cast by the trees against the grass and she checked her cell phone again to see if he'd called. No new messages.

She turned as she heard the large front door to the house open and Gray's stepfather looked out at her. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine, thank you!" She called out as chipperly as she could manage. "My father should be here any minute!"

"Hey, it's getting a little chilly out here… Why don't you come wait in the house?" Nate looked at her with some concern. It was sweet but she still hated it.

She made her smile even brighter and shook her head. "He's called me like a million times to say he's sorry. There was an accident that made him late."

It wasn't a complete lie. Her father was a world-renowned surgeon, and there probably had been some horrific accident that made him late. Her father was an expert at putting Humpty Dumpty back together again and could never be faulted for his commitment to his patients. His parenting on the other hand was something else.

Nate looked at her for another minute before shrugging and smiling again. He waved and shut the door.

Alone again Violet tried to come up with a plan for what she would do if her father didn't show up in the next few minutes. Her first idea was to walk to the end of the drive and wait by the road because at least there nobody could see her from the house, but she scratched that idea out of fear. Standing alone by the road was something she'd done before and yet it filled her with the emotion. It was like she could be swiped from the earth and nobody would see and nobody would know. It made her stomach churn. But then she saw the curtains of the house shift again and knew they were checking on her. She straightened her shoulders and started to walk up the long drive. She was not a baby. She was ten. She could do this. She ignored the painful churning of her stomach and stiffened her shoulders.

She was halfway up the drive when she saw her father's car turn on. She stepped back as relief flooded her. He had come. He hadn't forgotten her… totally.

She pulled the handle and climbed into the low sports car, he was on the phone and she quietly buckled her seatbelt. He said nothing to her for the whole drive home and she sat there listening to him discuss a patient as she watched the darkening Hamptons roll by. They pulled up to their house, which was large by standards that existed almost anywhere else in America, but modest by this community's eye.

He got out of the car and she followed him up to the front door and waited as he unlocked it and turned off the alarm. She was half way up the stairs before he spoke to her.

"Did you have a good time?"

She paused and glanced over her shoulder at him. She spoke drolly, but underneath was the steel of truth. "Life changing."

With that she continued up the stairs and was practically running by the time she reached her room. Locking herself in she pulled her laptop onto her bed with her and began her search. It wasn't hard and Violet had had a feeling it wouldn't be. A woman like that commanded attention, and that was clearly documented in her first searches.

Two hours later Violet flopped back on her pillows. There had been a few articles that had been blocked by the parental control settings on her computer, but there had been more then enough info to be found and it gave Violet a clearer image of the woman she had met tonight. As far as she was concerned her first impression had been correct.

Blair Waldorf was perfect.

Picture after picture and article after article had proven this. She clearly had intelligence, style, beauty and that something else that made her special and let everyone know not to mess with her. Violet stared up at the canopy above her bed for long moments and want twisted at her and made her wish she could cry. Since she never cried she made a wish instead… and since didn't really believe in wishes coming true… she made a plan.

A mother like that was wasted on boys.

On the other side of the world…

Chuck walked the floors of his hotel room with a drink in his hand. Back and forth he had paced most of the night. He stopped now in front of the floor to ceiling windows that looked out over a sun rising over Hong Kong, and looked out over the city from his point in the sky. The hotel room was quiet. It was like many rooms he had grown up in and while he'd grown up with that he had grown used to his life in the present and what his mornings were like at home.

He missed his boys. He missed Harry banging on their door in the morning to get them to come downstairs because if they were all home they always dined together and he was hungry. He missed finding Bart asleep in the large chair in Chuck's office after having snuck down in the middle of the night to play CEO. He'd done this since he was three and while both Chuck and Blair found it endearing, there had been an odd offshoot. The random calls. In his son's defense, Chuck knew that Bart watched him talk almost constantly on the phone when he sat in that chair. It was no wonder that Bart wanted to do the same when he was the one in the seat. After finding out Bart had made several calls from the office phone to strangers in Argentina, Milan, Hawaii and Regina, Chuck had taken to disconnecting the line at night… however Bart oddly kept in touch with the Canadians through Skype.

Yes, on mornings like this he couldn't help think about what he was missing. Chuck missed listening to Blair and Harry verbally spar over breakfast. He missed watching Bart ensure none of his food was touching on his plate before he ate it. He missed feeling Blair's foot where she would place it when the boys were distracted and the pleased look on her face when she'd seen his jolting, eye-crossing reaction.

He missed his family and he was only a few days into his exile.

Most of all he missed Blair.

They'd hardly ever been apart for more then a few hours in the past few years. He was like a Blair addict. He'd gotten the bug early in his life and it had long since turned into a full on addiction. After years of getting large daily fixes he found himself bereaved now in her lack

He sat down in a leather chair that was cool on his skin at its first touch. He cradled his glass in one hand as he picked up his cell with his other. He hit his speed dial and waited.

Blair lay in her deep soaker tub filled with hot water and bubbles as she tried to let her frustrations with several of the Bass males in her life seep away. She should have had it down pat by now. Her phone rang and she lifted it hesitantly from its place on the ledge beside her. It was as if she knew it was him without ever having to even look at her caller display. She pressed answer and pressed her ear to the phone but said nothing.

Heat and longing stretched across the line, across continents.

Chuck leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he listened. She hadn't said a word but he knew she was there. He sat motionless as he listened to the soft flow of her breath and the way her shifting moved the water and popped the bubbles of her bath, a sound that he knew even over the phone. Blair leaned back against the bath and shut her eyes, listening to him breathe, and the clink of ice in his glass of scotch. He didn't speak but she knew he was there.

They sat there for eons, wanting each other, but stubbornness keeping them apart. It had been forever since they had been so much like their seventeen-year-old selves. It was a trip that neither had thought they would take again to an age they didn't miss. Lost in their connection they felt like the only two people in the world… Until Harry called to her from the next room and broke the spell that had gripped them. She quietly ended the call, leaving Chuck in the silence of his choice.

TahDAH! Okay, many of you know this but I'll share some more… I don't really research a lot of what I write. I just sit down and let what flows out flow out… and I just went to a gross bathroom place in my head. Get out of that place! I'm talking intellectually. I swear. I digress. I just wanted to tell you that I DID in fact google for this fic today! I looked up the time difference and read that New York was 12 behind Hong Kong… I think? Time zones mess me up. I lived my whole life in EST and now I'm in like Pacific… and it's so totally weird. 95% of the people I know are always three hours ahead of me. It has led to me accidentally calling someone at 1am and them calling me at 5am. Oops. Not a happy situation. It's forgivable only for two of them.


	31. Chapter 31

Sorry everyone! There were a couple of glaring mistakes that I had to fix. I've never pulled a chapter down to edit it before. I know, I know. If I proof read, I wouldn't have these issues. Wrists slapped. Forgive me.

Hello! You know how there are smells that you love and you can't really explain why? You know the smell of freshly coloured hair? Like vanilla to me… except of course, I'm a natural blonde so I am SOOOOO unfamiliar with the scent… Stop looking at my roots. Actually go ahead, but excuse me as I sniff my hair. Here we go…

Chuck was at his desk at work and had left firm orders that he was not to be disturbed until he opened the door himself given that he was in a highly important videoconference. He pressed a finger to his temple as he leaned in to contemplate the board, and then he glanced up to monitor and the carefully blank expression of his youngest son. The boy had a great poker face, and it would have been a proud moment indeed… if Bart hadn't been wiping the floor with him in checkers.

He made his move and the second he removed his finder from the electronic piece he saw Bart smirk and knew he was done for. Sure enough Bart triple jumped him to win.

"Hurry and grow up so we can play chess." Chuck grumbled with a frown. It was just a sad state of affairs when a human being, who had been on the planet for less time then many of Chuck's favourite ties, could beat you at checkers. Chuck was convinced that he could dominate the boy in chess… for at least five years… six if Chuck could keep changing the rules till Bart caught on.

Bart smirked at him, but then his attention was caught by someone else off camera and the boy waved a little and took off.

"Bart." He called him back and the dark head popped back into view and looked at him expectantly.

"Goodnight. I love you." Chuck said intently as he nodded and looked into the boy's eyes.

A big smile came over Bart's face, which set off the dimples that lived in his cheeks when he smiled. Bart nodded and was gone. A minute later Chuck's first born took over the seat.

Harry slouched back in the chair with one arm thrown over the back as he regarded his father on the screen and wore a sullen expression on his young face. He offered no greeting to his father. His son was angry with him and it didn't take great deductive powers to figure it out. The boy had come by his pout honestly. It was a mirror of Blair's. He was just about to try to bribe his way into forgiveness when Chuck picked up on something else.

On the wall behind Harry, Chuck noticed a shadow. He knew that shadow very well because he knew the body that made it better than his own. The shadow's arms danced in short, sharp, commanding movements, and Chuck's eyes moved back to Harry. Harry's eyes had slid to the maker of the shadow and a slight smirk now curved his mouth.

"What did you do?" Chuck asked with narrowed eyes.

"Nothing…" Harry said with an easy smile. The shadow was practically vibrating in the background. With a smile in that direction, Harry shrugged one shoulder and looked contemplative. "Maybe if you were here…"

"Harry—" Chuck started but was cut off.

"But you're not. So really there's nothing more I have to say then… I hope you're enjoying your summer… and I'm looking forward to lunch."

With that he not only got up, but also apparently insolently walked out of the room. His name was echoed loudly by both his parents.

"We're screwed when he actually is a teenager…" Chuck mused to himself and the shadow. He could have sworn he saw it nod.

A moment later the screen went black. Chuck glanced at the clock and saw that it was nine o'clock. He usually worked until at least midnight, but after that call he wrote the rest of the day off in his head. He stood and straightened his tie before walking from his office with nothing more than a few slight nods at the employees he passed. He called for his limo in the elevator and it was there by the time he reached the street. Chuck arrived at his hotel in record time and nearly thanked Arthur for that, but caught himself at the last moment. This wasn't his real limo and that wasn't Arthur.

As he headed for his suite he usually looked around the lobby with a sense of pride. This Bass property was the crown jewel of their Asian holdings. It meant nothing to him at the moment. Finally reaching his suite, Chuck went to the huge walk-in closet, striping his clothes and leaving them for his valet to deal with in the morning. He pulled on a black silk robe and walked to the bathroom, turning the shower to hot before tossing the robe over a hook and stepping naked under the near burning spray. He let it him and welcomed the sting, standing under the water for long minutes before grabbing his shampoo and vigorously washing it and then his body. Again as he rinsed he let the heat beat into his skin until it felt like layers had been taken off. Getting out he draped a white towel around his hips and moved to stand at the sink, wiping the steam off the mirror haphazardly until he could see his judging gaze looking back at him.

Glancing down he saw his lone toothbrush in the holder and flashed back to a million summers ago, to a time when it was just he and Blair for the first time.

_He woke up wrapped around Blair. A sigh of contentment broke from his lips and it was starting to become a less surprising act. In their first few days up at the Hamptons he'd tried not to wake her when he awoke first in the morning. His knowledge that Blair Waldorf slept like the dead and been cemented since then. He started to disentangle himself from her and smiled as she resisted letting him go even in sleep. Finally he climbed from the bed and padded to the washroom. He took care of some morning business and after washing his hands he went to grab his toothbrush. For the first time in his life… his toothbrush wasn't alone. It was paired in the holder with another brush. It was also the first time he smiled while brushing his teeth. _

_Finishing he went back to his bed and back to his girlfriend. His girlfriend. He curled himself to her back… and started to make a few moves that he knew would be near impossible for her to sleep through. He wasn't wrong._

_He felt her heartbeat kick up and he whispered into her ear before biting it. "Morning, Waldorf…"_

"_Uh uh."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_It's too early."_

"_It's past eleven."_

"_It's summer time."_

"_Which is why I want to you to get up. You sapped my strength last night and the least you can do is buy me breakfast." He said as if he had been greatly put upon last night rather then the thrilled participant he'd actually been._

_She wanted to laugh, but she didn't want to give up the game. She allowed herself a smile but only because he couldn't see it. "No dice. You're a billionaire. Buy your own breakfast. You know there's only one-way to get me to buy you breakfast. Put out. And I'm not talking about actions. Words, Bass."_

_Chuck mock huffed into her neck. "It's your turn…"_

"_Say it or I'm going to sleep all day and not play with you at all." She pouted adorably as she burrowed deeper into her pillow, while at the same time deliberately wiggling her bottom into his groin._

_Pulling the covers aside to reveal her blanket and sleep warmed back, he ran a possessive hand over her skin. _

"_I."_

_Leaning in he placed a wet, sucking kiss in between her shoulder blades that she felt down to her toes._

"_Love."_

_With his hands still caressing her skin he moved to a spot mid way down her back, scraping his teeth across her in a mock bite, before kissing the area._

"_You."_

_He finished pledging as he reached the small of her back. He ran his tongue in a long stroke over the skin before blowing on it and finally pressing a kiss there._

Chuck came back to the present and back to reality. The lingering effects also had him back to the shower but now it was for a much-needed cold one. Before he went to sleep he also came to the conclusion that there was someone he needed to talk to.

Back in the Hamptons…

Violet sat on the beach under a huge umbrella, hating every minute of it. She was so fair that her skin burned with barely a kiss of the sun. She couldn't stand the way the sand would cling to her feet if they got wet, so she stayed clear of the water. Then there was the display. From behind her dark glasses she watched several boys and girls play volleyball. They were practically sweating. Ew. The other aspect was the girls' suits. Violet lay in a 40's esk one-piece. It was nearly the same shade as her eyes and had a ruffle on the chest. She felt mature in it. She felt lady like in her suit. The other girls were clearly not going for the same look. The rest of them wore tiny bikinis, which Violet deemed pointless, since every last one of them were built like the pre-pubescent boards that they were. She'd been invited back at the barbeque by some of the girls, and had thought to only put an appearance in and then leave, but now with her plan she was on a hunt for information. It was almost too easy to get.

Four hours later she was sitting at a table for two at Nick and Toni's in a perfect white eyeleted dress matched with pearls and a white bow in her dark hair. She rested an elbow on the table and drummed them against the wood in impatience as she waited. She quickly sat up straight and put her emoting skills to use. As Blair and her sons walked into the restaurant Violet gave a look of expectation and then disappointment, which was all a show for Blair, and went off without a hitch. Having pulled that off Violet deliberately turned her attention to her menu as if to embarrassed to acknowledge the Basses.

"Violet?" Blair queried, as they stood before her table on the way to their own.

Violet bit her lip before looking up with a smile on her face. "Good evening, Mrs. Bass. Harry. Bart."

Harry nodded at her in greeting, his expression blank, but the youngest Bass merely scowled.

"Are you alone?"

"No. Of course not! My father is meeting me… I guess he's just running late…"

Once again Violet reminded Blair of another child she had known, which is what had her offering. "Well, then you must join us until he gets here."

"I couldn't…"

"It would be rude to turn down my invitation." Blair reprimanded coolly and Violet fell a little more in love with her.

"I'm so sorry. I would be happy to join you." Violet said as she stood, ignoring the boys, and in fact cutting ahead of them as they followed Blair to a table that was now having its settings changed from three to four.

An hour later they were sitting over their main course with Blair and Violet engaged in conversation over Fall fashions and etiquette, while Harry, still mad at his mother sat silent and sullenly as the pushed his food around his plate. Bart however was watching Violet's every move and hating every vibe he read off her. He looked to his brother for backup, which usually worked given how astute both Bass boys were, but got no support from the moping one. He was just about to kick his shin under the table when a man approached looking confused.

"Violet?"

"Hi, Daddy." Violet said.

"What are you doing over here?"

"When you didn't show up at seven… or eight… Mrs. Bass offered for me to join them. I hope you don't mind?"

"Of course not…" He said and resisted the urge to scratch his head. He could have sworn that she had told him they were meeting at eight and he was only an hour late for that… but this wouldn't be the first time he'd forgotten the time, so he covered with a smile. "Sorry…"

"It's okay." She said with innocent eyes that everyone but Harry bought. "Should we see if we could get our own table?"

"Don't be silly." Blair interrupted. "You've already started eating. Mr. Cummings, would you care to join us as well."

With that another chair and setting were brought in and Violet fell silent as she let the adults at the table fall into easy small talk. She glanced over at Bart and she saw his narrowed eyes locked on her. She couldn't help it. The edge of her mouth curled slightly at one end in a smirk of victory in this first battle.

TahDAH! Violet's swimsuit in a description of my own suit from this summer. I looked hot.

Okay I've big ups thanks for a slew of you MariC128, 24hrscout, LY33, SashaLuna, Ladynet (who owes me cupcakes), lovetvtomuchxo, watermelon2014, jcyx243, and SoraNoOjiSama for getting Checkmate over the 200 mark! Thanks so much! I'd also like to thank the 195 people that came before them for giving my baby some favourite's love!

I just got a Kindle. I have gone Kindle crazy. Like actually crazy. Amazon must think I'm a spaz. I have downloaded Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire, Just Watch Me: The life of Pierre Elliot Trudeau (Only Canadians will get this one), Sloppy Firsts, The Book of Negroes, A Place of Yes… and one I will only cop to with all of you. I bought… A Gossip Girl novel. The one with Chuck and Blair together. It was AWEFUL. Those characters are NOT my CB… actually none of the characters are what I consider my Manhattan elite. I regret reading it. I won't read anymore. I WILL however watch our show come Monday. By Tuesday I better fucking know for sure who is pregnant. Pardon my cursing. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to molest my Kindle.


	32. Chapter 32

Hello! Now, as you may know… I moved to the other side of my very large country not to long ago, and guess what? I shockingly have no Thanksgiving plans this weekend, what with the being broke and four provinces away from any one I'm close enough to be invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Anyhoo, this means that I will endeavor to write a great deal this long weekend. I have no idea what, but probably some CB goodness. To my lovely, most likely confused American readers, Canadian Thanksgiving is in October. Happy Thanksgiving! Here we go…

Blair's shivering woke her up, and she frowned before her eyes opened. She hated walking up already annoyed by the day. It set the tone, which was unfortunate for everyone who came into her path. She pulled the blanket up tighter over her shoulder and cursed her husband for the millionth time in two weeks. She'd always liked to keep her bedroom cold. Blair loved the feeling of snuggling up under a fluffy, warm duvet while the air was chilled around her, and it hadn't changed since her bed had become Chuck's bed as well. The only difference was that she'd turn the AC up even higher to combat the heat created by his, okay, their mutual love of snuggling. Out of habit she'd set the room's AC to what she usually did in the summer… and nearly froze her ass off the first night. She didn't change it the second night because she thought it would serve Chuck right to learn she'd frozen to death while he was off summering in Hong Kong. The third night she'd turned it down a few degrees and baked. Next night up. Next night, down. She couldn't get it right. She couldn't get comfortable. She couldn't sleep the way she loved to sleep. She'd stop her brain before it pointed out that the AC wasn't the problem; she couldn't sleep soundly without him.

Curling into a ball she tucked the edges around her and wiggled a little bit to gain heat. Slightly warmed she finally opened her eyes and looked at the bare nightstand beside the bed. She'd always kept a picture of them there, one from the day they'd gotten this house. They'd been sitting on the beach, toasting the acquirement of the home and he'd pulled her close to kiss her cheek as he snapped the shot. They both looked so happy in the picture, surrounded by sand, beach grass, the house and the sky. In that moment he'd promised her endless summers here. It had been the first thing to go when she'd embarked on her first summer here without him. Basshole.

Harry and Bart stood on the wide expanse of their side lawn, and each contemplated the ground carefully. Bart was in white from head to toe, and it emphasized the darkness of his hair and eyes. Harry wore lilac coloured shorts, a mint green day sweater, and lilac knee socks. Harry Bass was not afraid of colour. Bart took his shot, but once again hit to hard and sent his croquette ball way out. His brother smirked at him before preparing for his own shot.

"You know, Bart, one day you're really going to have to stop sucking at this. It's almost embarrassing at this point…" Harry said snidely as he hit yet another perfect shot.

Harry watched his little brother line up another shot, and made a mental note of the half dozen things his sibling was doing wrong, but offered him no tips. He was the older brother after all; he had to keep Bart in his place. They both flinched a moment later as Bart's ball shot into the air, slammed into an ornate fountain, chipping it in the process, and then ricocheted off a tree before smashing a crystal pitcher of lemon into a million pieces.

"Nice shot." Harry said sarcastically. It earned him another scowl, but Harry was immune to them.

They'd been in the Hamptons a little over two weeks, and Harry had been on house arrest for about half of that. It had been a summer full of forced family bonding, and if it weren't for the fact that Harry secretly enjoyed his brother's company… he would have gone stir crazy. Not that he'd ever tell the little monster. Bart had been stalking him since he'd learned how to crawl and Harry had been half-heartedly dodging him ever since. Now here he was, with his brother, all day, every day. He didn't go anywhere off the grounds without his mother, and no one under the age of thirty had been invited to their place. With one notable exception. Violet.

Bart leaned on his mallet like it was a cane, and bent to rest his head on his hands. He sent Harry a pointed look. Harry rolled his eyes. He knew Bart was preoccupied with the interest Violet had taken with their mother, and it was only made worse by the amount of time she and Blair were spending together. It seemed like Violet came to every excursion, every shopping trip and every lunch they went to. While she was annoyingly perfect, it was someone else around, and Harry wouldn't say this out loud, but he liked looking at her. She also smelled nice. He knew however, that Bart thought she was around too much. That she was up to something.

"She's just a girl, and she takes the heat off of me with Mother." Harry said as his eyes narrowed and he knocked his purple ball with the mallet. He smirked a little at his shot and then looked over at his brother again. "I might even get to leave the grounds without Mother before the dinosaurs come back and eat her."

Bart raised an eyebrow at his brother.

Harry shrugged. "If I can get to them before she does I will rule the world."

At five, Bart couldn't fault his brother's logic and was momentarily distracted by an image of his brother ordering a dinosaur to eat their mother. Their father would kill him for that Bart snickered. Just then the dinosaur bate herself walked out as she put her earrings on and called out to them. "Alright, boys, I'm off. I'm picking Violet up and we're going to the art showing."

"What?" Harry asked confused.

Bart shot him a look that said, "See."

"I believe you meant to say, 'Pardon me?'" Blair corrected primly before going on to repeat. "I'm taking Violet to the art showing in town."

"I don't remember you telling us that…" Harry looked at her accusingly. "Why aren't we going?"

"Well, the other day, you dared your little brother to lick the ugliest of the paintings at the gallery, and we had to buy it. That's coming out of your allowance, by the way."

Both boys giggled at that one. Harry would hang it in his bathroom with pride and to remind him of the look on his mother's face as she'd handed her credit card over to the dealer. Totally worth it.

Harry straightened out his face and met his mother's deadpan expression. "Mother, if you leave now, you'll miss tea."

"So?" She raised a brow.

"So… it's a summer tradition… and you know how important tradition is…" Harry lilted off.

Bart nodded eagerly. He liked where this was going. Harry was testing out a little 'us or her' theory to see if Bart was right. Clearly Bart's endless edging had planted a seed in his big brother.

Blair looked at her now angelic faced boys, and sized them up. "Fine." She sighed heavily, and Harry cast an 'I told you, you were crazy' look at Bart… But then Blair continued.

"I'll just call a car for Violet and tell Marta to set for four." And she sauntered back into the house as Harry shut his eyes to avoid his brother's 'ah HA!' look.

Two hours later they were seated at a white clothed table set under a small copes of trees. Violet was walking across the lawn to join them, and Harry couldn't help but think how pretty her hair looked as it blew in the wind. Bart couldn't help but wish she'd trip and fall on her face. As she got to the table Blair had to clear her throat to catch Harry's attention and nod towards the empty chair. Harry got up and held it out for Violet. Violet nodded in thanks, but barely spared the elder Bass boy a glance as she sat down.

"Hello!" Violet said in greeting, and she held out two boxes she'd brought with her. "Since you were so nice to have me, I thought I'd bring a little contribution to tea, if you don't mind?"

To her sons, it looked like Blair smiled at Violet as if the sun had just shone out her butt. "That was a lovely gesture, Violet. What did you bring?"

"I brought fresh baked chocolate chip cookies for the boys, and macaroons for us ladies." Violet enthused.

"Why don't we get macaroons?" Harry piped up defensively.

"They're a girl cookie." Violet shot out coolly.

Blair had to touch her napkin to her lips to hide her smile. She'd never known her boys to kowtow to anyone, but for some reason this girl got to them. She would have thrilled to discuss it with Chuck if she were speaking to him. Instead she watched her normally self-assured sons grumble but take a chocolate chip cookie that had been freshly set out by a maid.

They had just finished tea and Harry had just suggested they call a car for Violet, when the first grumble was heard. Bart's face contorted and he stood quickly, leaving without a backward glance. Harry looked after his brother like he was crazy, but them his own stomach emitted an angry rumble, and his face blanched.

"Mother, may I be excused?" He managed, but was already standing and starting to walk towards the house. Why the hell were their lawns so big, Harry cursed as he quickened his steps. He was in a full run by the time he reached the house.

Blair and Violet watched the boys go, Blair with a curious expression, Violet with a triumphant one. She washed it away as the woman turned back to her.

"I'm sorry, Violet. I have no idea what that was about?" Blair managed to pull off.

Violet had her most concerned look and leaned in. "I hope the boys are feeling alright… That they didn't catch a bug or something?"

"They'll be fine." Blair said dryly as she watched the girl and took a sip of her tea.

"Good!" Violet breathed. "Now that it's just us ladies… I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Blair nodded, she assumed this was about fashion, which they often discussed, but Violet had a different agenda today.

"How do you get a boy to like you?" Violet asked seriously as she pulled out her leather bound notebook and purple pen, ready to take notes.

Later, as evening descended on the county, Violet sat back in the hired car for her drive home. She sighed happily as she went over her notes. She now had a detailed outline of how a boy could get to Blair Waldorf's heart. Now she just had to make sure her father was that boy.

Even later still, Harry Bass lay prone on the floor of his bathroom. He'd never felt so wrung out in his life. He heard a sound by the door and found the strength to glance over and see his brother creep in and collapse beside him. They both looked like hell. Harry's head again rolled to the side and met Bart's seething yet exhausted eyes. It didn't take a genius to guess that the cookies had been laced.

"No need to gloat. You were right."

Bart nodded… and then grimaced as an aftershock cramp twisted his belly. Harry flinched in sympathy, but knew his next words would rally them both.

"Let's get the brat."

TahDAH! Okay, so I should just point out… I am not highly cultured. I would say that I'm educated, but not cultured. At the ballet I spend my time contemplating the foot pain and lasting damage it does to the dancers. The opera? I hate when I can't understand what people are singing and most operas seem to be in languages that escape me. As for the symphony… I've humiliated myself, twice, by falling dead asleep within the first ten minutes. There are some fic writers who will site classy things. I am not one of them. I'll just say, 'art showing' and leave it up to your wonderful imaginations.

PS-Everything I know about croquette I learned from Heathers.

PPS-I know. There was no Chuck. It's just that I write in one sitting, I have to work tomorrow and I'm tired. Lots of Chuck next time, and I promise we have a reunion coming soon… or at least a clash of our two favourite titans.


	33. Chapter 33

Hello! I have a few comments to make about the episode, but I'll put them in my ending AN so as not to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it yet. I will however tell you this story. I generally work till 5pm on Mondays and it takes me a half hour to get home, so I miss the first half of the East Coast airing. This past Monday was a holiday so I got to watch the whole first airing. In between the first and second airing, and with my mind full of the episode… I took a shower. Big mistake. First, I washed my hair, got distracted with thinking about the episode, forgot to rinse my hair and then put conditioner in a head full of shampoo. Rinsed. Went to rewash, got caught up with GG thoughts and conditioned my hair twice. Washed it a third time. GG has driven me crazy. I hope the writers are happy. Here we go…

Blair and Serena lay by her pool with fresh smoothies at their sides. Serena worked at a production company that shot films all over the world… but mostly in Toronto and Vancouver because apparently they looked like everywhere. She was out of town for most of the year, but she was going to be in the Hamptons for the next few days, and Blair had called dibs on great swaths of her time. Serena had no problem with that.

"B, I have something to tell you!" Serena said excitedly as she sat up and looked with giddy eyes at her best friend.

Blair didn't even bat an eye. "Just tell me what your colour scheme is this time, and I'll find a matron of honour dress that works." Blair commented as she scanned the pages her assistant had sent her to approve for next week's blogs and columns. "Just remember… Cyrus retired two years ago so you're going to have to find someone else to handle your divorce this time."

"No, B. This is bigger!" She waited till Blair finally looked up. "I think I want to have a baby."

Blair rolled her eyes and went back to scanning and shot down a dress that was so ten minutes ago that she almost texted her assistant that she was fired just for suggesting it.

"I saw that! I'm serious! I think I'm almost ready to have a baby!" Serena grew even more adamant at Blair's clear lack of belief in her commitment.

Blair rolled her eyes again and thought to herself that if Serena kept this up she was going to need to call her optometrist. Serena threw a piece of scone at her. They both laughed as Blair swatted it away.

"I'm serious!" Serena declared for the millionth time.

"S, I gave up on nagging you to be a mommy friend with me years ago. Besides, what's the point? My children are practically grown and you'd be at square one." Blair said, thinking more of the benefits that could have been reaped for her years ago.

"Grown? Your kids are almost five and ten." Serena derided.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd met my sons? The first one is pushing thirty and the second is forty-five if he's a day. And they both seem hell bent on driving me to sixty." Blair's sarcasm was heavy.

"What are they up to now?" Serena laughed thinking about her nephews. It really was just revenge in how the sons of Chuck and Blair were turning out. Bart would have been please. Hell, Serena knew Eleanor was.

"You don't even want to know." Blair huffed. "Actually, I don't even want to know. They've been locked in Harry's room since yesterday. I only got them to come out when I withheld staples of life."

"Food? Water?"

"Wrong. Try, iPad. Hair balm. All Harry's purple clothes."

"He is his father's son…"

Blair made not comment and engrossed herself more in her work. She ignored her friend's probing eyes, but Serena would not be shut out and prodded her friend.

"How is Chuck, by the way…?"

"Fine."

"Oh? Because Lily said didn't sound too fine when she talked to him yesterday…" Serena led Blair along.

Her friend fell for it hook line and sinker, tossing her work aside and spinning to focus on Serena. "Really? Was he miserable? Depressed? Sexually frustrated and suppressed?"

"Ew. B, boundaries, remember?"

"Prude." Blair teased. "Spill."

Serena smiled at her. "It's just what you expect. He misses the boys. He misses you."

"Not enough to be here." Blair defended her position.

"You should call him." Serena decided.

"Sure. And I should also go blonde." Blair mocked her. "Add those two things to a your list of things that will never happen. He made a choice to be alone, I've made a choice to let him."

"You know what they say about an eye for an eye…"

Blair went back to ignoring her.

"It makes everybody blind."

"I'm fairly certain you've misquoted that—"

"Mother?"

Both women looked up to see Harry standing a few meters away with Bart just slightly behind him.

"This ought to be good." Blair commented under her breath. "Yes?"

In his most formal voice Harry continued. "We were wondering, if you would agree, if we could all eat at the Club tonight? Perhaps invite Violet as well?"

Blair and Serena's eyes met for the briefest of moments before Blair approved. "That sounds lovely. I'll call for reservations."

"Please, Mother, allow me." Harry nodded and Bart inclined before they both turned and went back into the house.

"Harry makes reservations?" Serena quarried as she tried not to laugh. "And did Bart just bow?"

"Yes. And I don't want to talk about it." Blair dismissed not thinking her children were odd at all.

"How long have they been calling you 'Mother'?"

"About two weeks."

"Did they find your playbook? I would have thought you'd have kept that better hidden or burnt it… especially given what you pulled off in your teen years…" Serena teased.

"My mother thought I was a virgin until I was almost nineteen. Can you say the same?" Blair challenged dryly.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Serena went back to her magazine and the women fell into a comfortable silence. For a while Blair thought about something Serena had said, and after a few minutes she put it into words.

"S?"

Serena looked up questioningly.

"You'll be a great mother… whenever you decide to do it." Blair told her truthfully.

Serena's face lit up. "Thanks, B." And she settled back against her lounger with a happy sigh.

A couple of hours later, Blair had hugged Serena goodbye and headed up to the master to start getting ready for dinner. Slipping off her heels and cover-up as she walked across the bedroom, she let her hair down as she walked into the bathroom. After turning on the shower she caught sight of herself in the large mirror of above the double sinks. She looked at herself as steam ate its way across the glass.

In her early thirties everything was still tight and smooth and perky. Her body was still lovely. Blair felt like she was fifteen again as she glanced down at her own one piece-clad body, and tried not to think about Serena's bikini perfect form. Blair's suit was black and sexy as hell, but it also covered what she considered a multitude of sins. She'd had two babies, and certain elements of her body still carried that evidence. Blair was as trim as ever, she was blessed by being cellulite free, her skin was stunning, and in many ways she just kept getting better. But she was conscious of a few key things, like how breastfeeding had stolen a percentage of her perkiness and how there were small stretch marks here and there across her belly where her boys had grown. She'd once mused out loud about having a surgeon take a look at them, and Chuck had lost his mind.

So now, surgery free, she wore a one piece whenever swimming or sun bathing. Well, that wasn't true. She had a few tiny bikinis she'd pull out when it was just her and Chuck. This past February Chuck and she had gone away just the two of them. He'd rented an island where the servants only came when they phoned them, and they had total privacy. Chuck and Blair had left behind two sulking, indignant sons in New York, to lay on the beach together, swim naked in the ocean, and to work each other's bodies the way only they knew how… And play colonial Lady and her house servant.

Blair smiled and heated at the memory. Then she frowned. They'd spent a week alone on the island. They'd taken the boys skiing in Whistler before Christmas. They'd gone to St. Bart's with all her parents in the early spring. For the first time Blair began to wonder if she'd been too harsh with Chuck. Yes, he was missing their annual summer family vacation, but it wasn't as if he hadn't been around at all over the past year.

Throwing caution to the wind she padded into the bedroom and grabbed her phone, she called his cell but it went straight to the answering machine, so she called his office. He'd left the office and they didn't know when he'd be back, but they did let it drop that he'd gassed up the Bass jet. Blair's heart had done girly flip-flops when she'd heard that. She was sure he was coming home.

Blair called their pilot to get an ETA. She'd send the limo to pick him up from the airport. She'd be in it of course, with champagne and wearing nothing but a smile. She couldn't reach the pilot but she did get a hold of an agent with the company, and she managed to get the flight plan. Her face fell. He wasn't heading home to her. The rat Basstard was heading to Japan.

She hung up the phone and cursed her moment of weakness. Her one saving grace was that Chuck would never know how close she came to caving. She tossed her phone aside and moved on with her summer.

On the other side of the planet, Chuck impatiently waited for the jet to land and taxi into the hanger. It had been forever since he's seen her, and he hadn't wanted to since the day she betrayed him, but he had thought about her. He was distracted as he went down the steps of the plane and strode towards his waiting limo; so much so that he forgot to turn his phone back one. He slouched in his seat as he brooded through the whole drive, seeing nothing of the scenery passing and turning from the urban to the countryside.

The car pulled up outside the classic house in the hills, and he sat there for a moment staring at the door, before exiting the car and knocking on the door with a certainty he told himself that he felt.

The door opened and he registered her quiet shock. "Charles?"

"Hello, mother."

TahDAH! Okay, this is just what's going through my head. If she did lie, this is her major screw up. I have never felt that there has been something that has happened that they couldn't come back from it, and the same is true here. I truly believe that this is just another one of those tough times that they put us through as CB fans. To get through I write CB how I like them, and hopefully, maybe, it will keep your mind off what's happening on the show too, until our couple is really together again.

Okay so I have the next chapter going through my head like an episode, so I don't think it will be too long until I post the next chapter. Forgive me for not a lot going on in this chapter. It will pick up next time promise… and maybe I'm also going out in twenty minutes and can't make this one longer. PS- I saw my first skunk in Vancouver. At first I thought it was a very fluffy cat. I was wrong. Is anyone else thinking of Pepe la Pew right now? I watched it as a kid and thought it was funny. As a grown up? Pepe was a straight up stalker and sexual assaulter. Those poor cats.


	34. Chapter 34

Hello! Cutlery! I have cutlery! After months with only one spoon and one fork, I found a set that I liked at a price I was willing to pay. Five knives. Ten spoons. Ten forks. Crazy. Here's what's funny. For months I'd just wash my one spoon and one fork after using them, so they'd be ready for the next time. Now that I have an abundance of cutlery? I toss them in the sink and was shocked when I ran out of clean ones. I now need to put more effort in… or just live dirty. I may be okay with that. Stop judging me! Here we go…

Chuck sat in the chair and looked out the floor to ceiling widows that allowed a view of the woods and cresting mountains of the countryside. He could picture her here; although he couldn't claim to know her, it seemed like the place for the woman he had imagined glimpsing over their short acquaintance. He grimaced slightly at the thought. He couldn't help but think that wasn't normal. A mother and child should know each other over a whole lifetime, but he threw the thought away. He and Blair had had several, softly spoken, late night conversations, as they lay sweaty and tangled in their bed about how subjective the concept of normal was. She had convinced him that they could make their own normal.

His hands tightened on the arms of the chair. It wasn't unusual for her to wake him up in the middle of the night, usually by attaching her mouth to some sensitive part of his body. He'd be reaching for her before he'd even opened his eyes.

And she knew when he was sated and half asleep she could get him talking. He'd been doomed years ago upon their mutual discovery that the late-night sex afterglow with her made Chuck Bass chattier than he usually ever was. He'd been disgruntled and she'd been delighted. He missed her late night nocturnal ambushes into his inner most thoughts.

He was brought back by Elizabeth returning with a tray of tea, and sat quietly as she poured it. She paused only once to ask if he still took it with milk and two sugars. He told her yes, and hid the fact that he was surprised that she remembered. They'd known each other so briefly.

The sat in chairs opposite to each other and sipped their tea. Each one had a stillness and an apparent innate ability to wait another person out. Chuck could only imagine how it would have driven his father crazy, and then he wondered if it had made Bart take his son's behaviour even worse, as even without her physical influence, Chuck seemed to have picked up the trait.

Finally with the tea cooling in the cups in their hands, Elizabeth spoke.

"You look well…"

"As do you." He glanced at the pictures hanging on the walls. "You paint?"

"Not well." She conceded.

"Only for pleasure." He spoke rather than questioned.

"What other reason is there?"

They gaze at each other for another moment.

She nodded and her eyes wavered slightly. "How is Blair?"

He didn't need to ask how she knew since it wouldn't have even taken a private detective to know that he and Blair had married when one google search would have sufficed.

"She's good…" He didn't notice that his voice softened ever so slightly as he spoke of her. Elizabeth did.

A soft, real smile curved her lips. "I'm glad. I'm not surprised you two ended up together. You two deserve each other."

"So I've been told…" Chuck said dryly, referring to the times that statement had been hissed at them in the past.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I mean it. You love her. She loves you."

"Yes." He agreed, missing her again.

Sadness came into her eyes for a moment, but it was replaced by assuredly. "I'm happy for you. Like I said, you both deserve your love."

He nodded in thanks, choosing not to speak for a moment. After another sip from his cup, he made an offer of conversation. "We have two sons."

She smiled, now it was her turn to be silent.

"Harry and Bart." Again you could hear love in his voice.

"Bart…" She rolled it over on her tongue. "Your father would have liked that."

Chuck nodded.

"Are either of them like your father?"

"I would say Harry is pure Waldorf. Bart… I don't know if I'd like to claim all of his traits… but there are times I cannot help but see… they are very Bass like."

She smiled again for a heartbeat, but her eyes changed. "Charles, why are you here?"

"I don't know…"

"Through all these years, you've never sought me out before… we both know that you came here today looking for something."

"I did."

"Did you find it?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask…?"

"What it was?"

"Yes."

He paused for a moment and he was unsure he wanted to share. "I've been working in Hong Kong for several weeks… away from my family… I've been unsure… of my place. My father taught me that business comes first. Yes, he'd pay lip service to family, but we always knew— I always knew," he amended, "what was his priority."

She nodded, thinking she too had known that about Bart. She had known if she had accepted his proposal it would have been a cold life for her.

"In my acquaintance of you… I have learned the same thing is true of you. Perhaps not in business… but in your own pursuits. It's remarkable you two didn't stay together. You wanted the same things."

Her eyes flew up to his and she looked guarded. "Pardon?"

"You both wanted what you thought would make you happy… and maybe it did. Maybe Bart's success, money and power did make him happy. Maybe your own self-pursuits complete you… I don't know… and I don't really care. Seeing the way he lived his life… the way you live yours… that is not the life I have, nor do I want it."

He stood up and straightened his jacket.

"Thank you for the tea." He politely commented.

"Charles…"

He gave a slight shake to his head. "I've stayed here too long. I won't trouble you again." And they both knew that he wouldn't.

He cast a last glance around the home that housed only her and her art. "I hope your paintings continue to give you pleasure."

And with that he was gone.

Back in the Hamptons…

Aidan. Violet's father's name was Aidan. Both Bass boys hated it on their mother's lips. The more they hated it, the more it seemed to spill from them.

Violet was so happy she let her feet swing back and forth under the clothed table. This was going perfectly. She'd told her father what to wear tonight, as well as some subtle conversational hints. She'd made sure that they her father sat beside Blair, and was only slightly put out that she'd focused on her father's seat and ended up bracketed by the boys, rather than on Blair's other side. Not perfect, but she could live with it. Violet could also tell that the Bass Boys weren't happy… but she didn't give a fig. She was so happy in fact, that she missed a few queues that she wouldn't have normally.

With salads done, each of their main dishes were brought to the table and Harry shared a minute nod with the waiter that set Aidan's dish before him. Violet's father dug in as he expounded on the virtue of good oral health and how it was a representation of overall health. Harry couldn't believe his mother actually looked like she was listening.

About ten minutes in there was distinct gurgle heard across the table as Aidan's face when blank.

"Was there cilantro in this?" He queried desperately. "I distinctly told them, no cilantro! Please, excuse me!"

Then Dr. Chambers practically ran out of the room, nearly knocking over an old woman to get to the restrooms. Violet's eyes were wide as she watched him go. She was horrified and confused… until she saw the near matching smirks on the sons of Basses faces. With Blair's eyes still turned away, Violet swept her hand across the table, knocking Harry's cutlery onto the floor.

"Whoops! Clumsy me!" Violet said as she grabbed Harry by his tie and dragged his head under the table with hers.

Violet's eyes shot daggers at Harry and she hissed at him. "Stop it!"

"Stop what?" He looked at her innocently just as Bart popped his head under the table as well.

Her shoe slammed into his shin and Harry lurched up, hitting his head with a yelp. They all heard the water glasses slosh on the table, and they all practically felt Blair's sigh on annoyance.

Harry rubbed his head, but smiled at Violet. "No need to get violent, Violet.

Harry heard his brother snicker behind her and leaned over a little to meet his brother's eyes. He shot a smirk at him. "Yep. There's a new nickname. Violent Violet."

Harry had gotten the signal from his brother. With her head turned to Harry it was easy to do. Bart took the piece of chewing gum he'd been working on for the past ten minutes, reached out, and squeezed it into her dark curls. He did as Harry had told him to, placing it high enough that it would take a lot of cutting to get out, and far enough away from her scalp that she wouldn't initially notice it was there.

"I'm going to count to three and everyone who has yet to make a million dollars will come out from under this table." Blair announced with annoyance.

Harry popped up. "Does the interest on our trust funds count?"

"No." Blair pointedly smiled. "I can cut those off, you know?"

Both Bass boys popped up. Violet came up a little slower and the boys could almost see her wheels turning. Before more could be said, a pained looking Aidan returned.

"Violet, I think we should leave."

"Daddy, no!" Violet pleaded. "We've only just started dinner!"

"Violet—"

"Please!"

"Aidan…" Blair started to interview as her eldest son spoke at the same time.

"By all means. Feel free to leave."

It was about this time that the waiter who had served Aidan his meal returned with a full pitcher of ice water in his hands. It didn't stay there long. It would seem that his foot caught on the rug and he tripped, spilling the entire contents over Violet. She screeched as the cold water soaked her through to her bones. It felt like Niagara Falls had just taken her out.

The waiter was over apologizing. The Bass boys were snickering. Blair was hushing them. Aidan was still begging to leave. And as Violet quickly ran her hands through her hair to try to right it… she found the gum.

Her scream was heard all the way back in Manhattan. She frantically tried to pull the gum out, but the more she tried the more it seemed to eat up her hair. Her father took advantage of her distraction to make their excuses, grab her elbow, and half drag her out of the restaurant.

Blair stared after them for a moment before looking back at her sons.

"That really was unfortunate." Harry managed with a straight face.

An hour later Violet sat on a stool in the centre of her kitchen. She wore a garbage bag as a smock and her father paced around her with a pair of scissors. On and on he lectured her about how it was that she so often found herself in these situations. Her head was dropped so low that her chin touched her chest, and the angle made the huge tears that fell from her eyes drop faster. They hit the plastic and chased trails down the slopes until they hit the hardwood floor.

He stopped for a moment and looked at her, and in the silence her giant purple eyes lifted to his in pained pleading. He heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Violet, but I really don't know what else to do about it…"

She nodded sadly and resigned herself to her fate. She took a deep breath, dropped her head again, and shut her eyes. Little did she know, this made her father ache more that if she had still been screaming, he knew how much she loved her hair, but he had no idea how to get the gum out, so there was nothing to be done but cut it out.

Thinking to get it over with, he moved to stand behind her, lifting the heavy, matted curls. He shook his head; this was going to take out almost all of the length. She'd be devastated. He opened the scissors… both of them looked up as the doorbell rang. Violet stayed where she was and her father went to see who was there at this time of night.

Moments later, Aidan returned with Blair following behind him. "Violet… we have a guest."

Violet looked up and the silent tears turned into sobs. She hated Blair seeing her like this; so far less than perfect.

Blair looked at Aidan. "Can I have a moment with her?"

Aidan faded away, and Blair walked into the kitchen and began looking through the cupboards. She only stopped when she found the peanut butter. Walking to Violet, she opened the jar, took some into her hands and began working it into the gum. The oil in the peanut butter began to break down the gum, and with a wet rag, she removed it from the girl's hair.

"There." Blair said, as she was finishing up.

"It's gone? My dad doesn't have to cut my hair?" Violet asked, still to afraid to hope.

"It's gone." Blair assured her.

Violet sighed in relief, and then gave herself over to the feeling of having someone else finger comb her hair. No one ever touched Violet's hair without her father having to pay them to do it. It felt nice to be… cared for.

"How did you know about the peanut butter?" She asked, not wanting it to end.

"A boy put gum in my hair once… I wasn't much younger than you at the time." Blair smiled.

"What did you do to him?"

"I married him." Blair said dryly and couldn't help but smirk.

Out in the limo, Harry and Bart sat stewing.

"What's taking Mom so long?" Harry lowered the window and gazed out at the rather pedestrian house where Violet summered. "I can't see anything."

Harry lowered the sunroof and looked around. His eyes fell on Bart, and the younger boy sighed heavily and knelt on the floor on his hands and knees. Harry planted a foot on his little brother's back, ignoring the very clear grunt of pain, and stood to pull himself up onto the roof of the car. Sitting there he got a better view. He saw a figure walk into what he imagined was the living room and saw Aidan when he turned on the lamp. A few minutes later Blair and Violet came in. Violet was smiling… and still attached to her hair. Damn.

The adults started talking, and laughing… and Harry nearly fell off the roof of the limo when he saw his mother touch Aidan's arm. She was only supposed to touch his dad's arm, not some crazy girl's. Violet appeared in the window, and even across the darkness, Harry could almost feel her victorious smile… right before she yanked the drapes closed.

Harry scowled and slipped back into the car.

"He should have scalped her." Harry commented as he flopped back against the seat and ate an M&M out of the wet bar. Looking at his brother they shared a nod. It was time to call in the big guns. Pulling out his cell phone, Harry hit speed dial and handed the phone to his brother.

Bart sat quietly as he listened to the rings until they ended as the phone was answered. Bart's voice echoed across the line, across the oceans, nations and continents.

"Dad, come home."

TahDAH! I need to drink more periodically throughout the day. I have like a sip of water in the morning. Sips here and there… then I knock back like three crystal lights in about an hour before I go to sleep. Probably not healthy… and I always wake up around 5am needing to pee.

Okay, my boss came into work sick all week. I was not sick. I was fine. Until today. My nose is a biohazard.


	35. Chapter 35

Hello! Okay, so I recently discovered a book series many of you have probably already heard of/read. I just read the Jessica Darling series. The characters are not really like our GG characters, and yet Jessica Darling and Marcus Flutie reminded me of Chair. I think it centres on seeing two people who are meant to be together, and in fact the last book gave me hope, because after three years of being apart they bump into each other, both realize that connection is still there… and go for it. This is really CB like to me, because I want to bash their heads together. Actually I want to bash the writers' heads together, but I digress. I think the beauty of CB is that… They're meant to be together. I think that's what's so tiring. Everybody knows it, but it's just getting drawn out. Like the writers think they can't write them together. I will not be bored. I loved so much of season three. I would hug it and any season like it. Now I'm rambling and I'm sure some of you are cursing me for spoiling Perfect Fifth. Read the series. It's awesome. Here we go…

"Why are they coming here?" Harry asked indignantly at the breakfast table the next morning.

His mother sat at the end reading the newspaper and sipping her coffee. "I'm sorry… I'm trying to remember when it was decided that you got a say in who I invited to lunch?" Blair looked over the paper at her son. "Oh, that's right. I own the house. It's my call."

She went back to reading but couldn't miss the slightly grumbled. "It's Dad's house too."

"Yes, and when your father chooses to return he will have a say in who comes over… I may not listen, but he can voice his opinion. Until he's here… this is a totalitarian regime. Please feel free to consider me you dictator."

Bart shared a scowl with his brother and took an angry bite out of a bagel. His brow furrowed as he chewed. Still not looking at either boy Blair made them a suggestion.

"Since you are so against the company I'm choosing to keep… perhaps you might like to spend the afternoon at your grandmother's? I'm sure Rufus would love to have you boys join him in a sing-a-long again. You both remember the words to Hotel California I'm sure?"

Both boys shivered in remembrance of a night at their grandmother's when her husband had made them sit by the fire for hours while he sang "old favourites".

"Thank you, Mother, but we'd like to stay. This is our home."

"Hmm?" Blair said noncommittally.

Harry looked over at his brother and they shared a nod. A minute later Harry asked if they could be excused, which they were, and it was up to Harry's room they went.

"She's going to be pissed." Harry commented as he paced his floors like a general. Plots were running through both their minds and he met his brother's eyes. "We have to be ready."

At twelve o'clock the father and daughter arrived promptly. The Bass boys flanked their mother's side, staking their claim. Violet merely smiled at them, and yet they could see the determination behind her eyes.

They all headed into the formal sitting room and Blair had tea served.

"Please, enjoy. Lunch should be ready shortly." Blair imparted.

"Mother?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"May we go and… play until lunch is served?"

"Harry, we have company."

"I meant Violet too."

"Very well."

Violet had kept quiet, because it had been her plan to lure the boys away so that her father had time alone with Blair, time to woo. Violet hadn't expected this, she had thought it would be like luring bears away from honey to get the Bass boys away from their mom, and she should have been happy, but the ease of this situation had her on edge. Plus she wanted to be there to ensure her father said all the right things. She still smiled brightly at Blair as she cautiously followed the boys out of the room. They went up the huge stairway and down the hall to Harry's bedroom. None of the children dropped their guard, and yet they kept up the guise of a play date.

"What do you want to do?" Violet asked innocently. "Board game?"

"How about Hide and Go Seek?" Harry offered with a smile.

"Really?" She derided. "Are we five?"

"He almost is." Harry said with a tilt of his head to his brother. "What's the problem? You're not scared are you?"

She didn't want to fall for this… but she couldn't bring herself to back down from a challenge. "Of course not."

"Good. We'll even hide first."

"Fine. I'd always rather be the predator than the prey." Violet said with a snide smile that grew when she saw Harry's eyes narrow.

"Rules are you can't leave the house, everything else is fair game. Start counting."

Bart looked at her and Violet rolled her eyes. "I won't peek."

The Bass boys took off together but separated. Harry took to the attic while Bart made his way to a hall closet. As she reached 100 Violet opened her eyes and went Bass hunting. She headed straight for the stairs to the attic because she'd heard his clod like gate all the way up. Reaching the top of the stairs she paused. The attic was huge and filled with more forgotten items than you'd think the Basses would have. There were old figures Blair's mother had used to make clothes, and racks of Eleanor Waldorf designs. There were sofas, tables, old beds and endless places to hide. It could have taken forever to search… but Violet had seen the footprints in the dust on the floor, the footprints that led her straight to a large trunk.

Bart crept up the stairs as was the plan, which was to lure Violet into the furthest reaches of the attic where Harry would come out of hiding, double back and out of the attic and lock her up there. Harry had even deliberately stomped going up the stairs so that there would be no doubt where she should look for him. However, Bart realized their plan had gone awry when Violet started hefting heavy books, and old sculpture and even a chair onto the lid of the trunk his brother was hiding in it.

It didn't take Harry too long to figure out what was happening, but it was still too late. He tried to push open the lid, but it wouldn't budge. Damn.

He kept his voice calm as he spoke. "Violet?"

"Yes, Harry?" She responded in kind.

"What are you doing? The point is to find me, not lock me up?"

"Really? Because if I had to guess… You were planning on locking me away weren't you?"

"Perhaps."

"Well than I guess it's too bad for you that I'm smarter."

"I wouldn't say that. You seem to be working the most idiotic plan I've ever heard of… so how smart can you be?"

"Smart enough to get what I want." She said defensively, hating his knowing tone.

"You're never going to have her. She's our mom."

"There's no reason that she can't be mine!"

"I'm sorry, I don't speak crazy, so I don't know how to talk to you right now."

"I'm going to tell her you tried to lock me in there. She already knows about you and the gum… I'm going to cry. And she's going to sooth, and bond with my Dad, and they'll be married before Christmas." Violet declared rapidly because she was just starting to get the idea that he might be right.

"Good luck with that."

"Boarding school! I'll have you sent to boarding school!"

"To do that you have to win, and that isn't happening!"

Still lurking in the stairwell, Bart's mind raced with what to do next. All he could think about was keeping Violet away from their mom until Harry could talk to her first. This was getting out of hand. She was their mom and Violet couldn't have her. Then he got an idea. He ran to his parent's room and riffled through his mother's bedside table. He smiled as he found what he was looking for and then rushed back to the attic.

"Well, since you seem to be engaged… I should head back downstairs… to the soon-to-be happy couple." Violet said triumphantly.

She was so caught up that she didn't hear Bart creeping up behind her. Which was why she was caught off guard when he slipped a pair of handcuffs onto her wrist, put it through the posts of the bed frame she was standing next to, and then latched it to his own wrist.

"What are you doing?" Violet said incredulously and with wide eyes.

"Winning." Bart smiled.

You would have thought the adults downstairs would have heard her scream. They didn't. After a futile struggle, and a great deal of threats of violence, Violet collapsed onto the bed, saying nothing. Bart carefully sat down next to her. Silence descended for long moments.

"Is everyone alive out there?" Came from inside the trunk and after nothing but silence. "Hello?"

"No one is dead." Violet said quietly.

"Good to know… Although, I have missed being an only child." Harry didn't need to see Bart to know he was scowling.

It grew quiet again.

"You don't know what it's like." Violet finally said.

"What?" Harry asked, glad to have something to take his mind off of wondering how much airflow he was getting.

"To not have a mother. You don't even appreciate the one that you have… she's perfect."

"She's ours." Harry reminded her.

"Why? Because she gave birth to you? We have everything in common. And we're girls. Mother's should brush their daughter's hair, go shopping with them… teach them about… everything."

"We go shopping with our mom." Harry pointed out. "And she's brushed our hair."

"You know what I mean."

"Maybe. And maybe we'd share her with a sister… but you're not our sister."

"I could be. It everything works the way I want it to… you'll have to share her."

Both boys still thought she was crazy, but Harry tried to explain.

"You made a mistake." He told her.

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did." Harry said honestly. "You think that if you get her alone with your dad long enough, she'll fall for him, marry him and be your mother. But that can never happen."

"Why?"

"Because of our Dad. And maybe that's it? You don't know him… so you've never seen them together… so… you don't know that they belong together. It's true love." Harry quoted what he had heard almost his whole life and what he also believed.

"There's no such thing as true love." Violet said, truly believing it.

Harry smiled in the dark of the trunk and mused. "Maybe you're not as like her as you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom is a fairytale person."

Beside her Bart nodded in agreement.

"Then… my dad can be her new Prince." Violet declared as she struggled to hold onto her plan.

"What part of, 'she loves our dad' aren't you getting?"

"Your dad is gone."

"So? He'll be back."

"You don't get it." Violet said with a bitterness no ten year old should have.

"What don't I get?"

"When a parent leaves, they don't come back. I used to wait by the door for my mom to come back, sometimes all night. I'd bring my pillow and blanket and lay in the foyer waiting. My Dad finally told me one day that she wasn't coming back. You shouldn't be waiting either."

It hadn't crossed either Bass boy's mind that their father might be gone for good. They still knew without a doubt that he would come home to them. This assurance made Harry feel bad for the girl.

"I'm sorry." Harry said softly. "I'm sorry your mom never came back… But our Father will. He can't stay away. We're a family."

Harry couldn't see her, but Bart could, and he couldn't take his eyes off her. Violet was crying. Huge tears chased down her cheeks. He didn't say anything but he reached up and gently wiped them away. Violet's eyes locked on this little boy who spoke so little, but she could tell what he was thinking. He was sorry. Sorry that her family wasn't like his. Violet looked away, sorry that her family wasn't like his too.

What seemed like hours past and all the children almost fell asleep stuck where they were, but a sharp voice snapped their attention.

"What exactly is going on here?" Blair and Violet's dad stood at the top of the stair.

Not quite believing what they were saying they moved further into the attic and Blair looked down at her youngest son handcuffed to a bed with a girl.

"I'll ask again… what is going on here?"

"That's what I'd like to know." A new voice filled the room and sent shivers down Blair's back as she spun around.

"Chuck!"

TahDAH! Okay, so… should I tell you this? The next chapter will be almost all CB. I'm going to endeavor to make up for the draught I've given you. Hopefully you will forgive me after I've written it. Having said that… my computer appears to be on its last legs. I think. Keep your fingers crossed.

Oh, and I would just like to thank all the savechuckandblair people for reminding us that yesterday was the Limoversary! Sometimes it feels like being a CB fan is torture… but it's worth it for this couple. Any other show… I would have dropped by now. But I can't give up on CB. I just can't. Hopefully that isn't my downfall. (Blair quote ish!)


	36. Chapter 36

Hello! I can't remember if I've said this before, but I work in a place that has the radio on all the time. This is a first for me. My only prior experience with the radio was the three hours drives up to the cottage when I was a kid. It implanted some strange tunes in my brain. Right now? I have to say I missed the George Michael generation. I came after that, but they play him at least three times a day on the radio. I now know all the words to both Faith and Freedom… and maybe dance at the office to them when no one is looking. Even if they were… I've got moves. Look out So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Here we go…

All eyes were on Chuck, and only two pairs were surprised to see him. They were both blue. After Blair's exclamation, silence had taken over the attic. The tense minutes that followed were broken by a voice from inside the trunk.

"What's going on? Is Dad here? Hello? Is anyone still there? Mom?"

Chuck raised a brow at Blair but she tossed her chin in the air and looked away. He then met Bart's eyes and winked at him, and he relished the grin he got back. Chuck sauntered over the trunk and cleared the lid, opening it to reveal his rather sweaty first born.

"Hello, Father. Fancy meeting you here." Harry said as if they'd met up during a polo match.

Chuck held out his hand, which Harry took, and was helped from the trunk. With the shock wearing off a stuttering Aidan stared at his daughter handcuffed to a bed with a boy, a very young boy, but still not an image a father wanted to see.

"Violet… What have you done now?"

"Daddy…" Violet tried to think of words. None came to her.

Chuck broke in on the tension by addressing Harry. "Harold, kindly go to your mother's jewelry chest and retrieve the key to those handcuffs. You'll find it under your grandmother's pearls."

Chuck shot pointed look at his wife, who still wasn't looking at him, but he caught her eye roll. The attic was filled with an uncomfortable silence, broken only by Violet or Bart tugging on their chains. Finally Harry returned with the key, handed it to his father. Chuck was tempted to ask Blair if she would like to do the honours, since she was most often the one to use that key, but he refrained. He released Bart first and then the girl. She got up off the bed rubbing her wrist and both she and Bart rotated their shoulders after their arms being held in place so long.

"Don't worry. The stiffness should let up in about a half hour or so." Chuck commented and rubbed Bart's shoulder a little.

All the blood had washed out of Aidan's face and his eyes drilled his daughter before he spoke tightly to her. "Violet, let's go."

"I…" She started, but her head dropped in defeat and she followed her father down the stairs and out of the house.

And so the Basses were left alone in their house. After he'd gotten Bart's call, Chuck had sat back in his seat and stared at the ended call on his cell. He'd though about his son's words, but he didn't need to tell his pilot to change course. The Bass jet had already been on route to New York. If anything he'd just needed to tell them to fly faster. Now they all stood together, quiet until they heard the Chamber's car pull down the driveway.

All male Bass eyes were locked on the only woman in the room. She contemplated her nails. It was Harry who spoke first, eager to boast of his and his brother's triumph.

"We did it." Harry boasted. "We got Dad to come home."

He'd laid it out like their own personal victory, which he had truly believed it was… Until Harry saw it. The nearly unperceivable quirk of her mouth and the minute raising of one brow. Anyone who wasn't a Bass might have missed it, but it was all Harry needed to know to realize the one truth.

He and his brother had been played.

It swept in on both boys like a flood. They hadn't been the manipulators. They were the manipulated. It became clear by just the gleam in her eyes that they had, in actuality, been the pawns in her game, and she'd been moving them the whole time to gain the outcome she's wanted; their father rushing home without her even having to say a word.

"You played us!" He gasped as his young voice dropped an octave and gave hint of the voice of the man he would one day become.

A smile spread across her red lips and her shoulders swung from side to side, but her eyes were the very picture of innocence. Chuck thought to himself that she looked practically seventeen again in that moment of glory. She loved to win. She walked slowly over to her most stunned yet indignant son, and her hand lifted his slack jaw. She kissed his cheek very gently and then whispered into his ear. "Never try to play a player… Especially one who taught you all her tricks… Well… almost all her tricks."

With a keen smile across her lips, she waved at her boys and headed downstairs.

Bart looked after his mother in awe and Harry's eyes followed her with shock. Chuck patted his son firmly on the back in sympathy before asking, "How would you like to spend the night at your grandmother's?"

Harry shrugged off his father's hand, saying nothing and moving away. With the revelation passed Harry had remembered he was angry with his father.

Chuck and the boys headed downstairs and Blair was nowhere to be seen. He went into Bart's room and helped him pack an overnight bag. When they were done Chuck sat down on Bart's bed and pulled the little boy into his lap, hugging him to his chest. His son's head rested against his shoulder and one of his little hands squeezed the lapel of Chuck's jacket so tightly the fabric creased under the pressure. A while latter Bart looked up and nodded, and Chuck smiled at him and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Wait in the car?"

Bart nodded and ran out of the room, leaving Chuck to head to Harry's room on his own. Chuck stood in the doorway of his oldest son's room and watched Harry carefully fold his clothes and place them in a large bag. He knew that Harry knew he was standing there, but Harry ignored him, not even looking up to acknowledge his father's presence. Chuck couldn't help but think how much he was like his mother. He'd been hurt, and although he wanted to make up, Harry's stubbornness wouldn't let him.

"I'm sorry." Chuck said truthfully.

For long moments Harry didn't say anything.

"You should be."

Chuck was actually relieved to hear his grumbled reply. It was a start.

"I had a drink. That's what Mom wanted me to tell you."

Chuck was still for a time. "And?"

"And?"

"Did you have another?"

"No. I didn't want one… and Mom would have killed me. Actually, she'd disinherit me, make me donate all my purple clothes to charity, send me to a youth boot camp in Northern Alberta, post my most embarrassing baby pictures online… and then she'd kill me."

Chuck nodded and for the millionth time he was grateful for Blair. When Chuck was younger he had drunk because he could, he was Chuck Bass. But there had also been one other thing… there had been no parent around who loved him enough to see it and stop him. His sons would never know that feeling. Blair would be on all of them for eternity, and Chuck liked it that way.

"I shouldn't have done it…"

"No, you shouldn't have… But you did. You won't do it again." Chuck told him firmly, because like his wife, he loved and cared too.

Harry looked up when he heard the tone in his father's voice. He nodded. A little while later the boys were loaded into the limo that would take them to their grandmother's house for the night. Chuck climbed in after them and the car pulled away from the house. He was tempted to look back, but he didn't, because he didn't need to. He could feel her eyes watching them.

Hours later, after sharing dinner with his boys, Lily and Rufus, Chuck came home to a darkened house. He turned the light on in foyer and walked through the main floor, taking note of the single finished meal that was left on the dining room table for servants to clear tomorrow. He reset the alarm and walked up the stairs and to his open bedroom door. The room, much like the rest of the house, was in darkness, but a shaft of light shone out from under the bathroom door, like a beacon leading him to her. He was actually surprised when the knob gave under his grip having expected the door to have been locked.

The bathroom was lit only with candles… but they weren't what drew his eye. Blair lay, covered in mountains of bubbles, in the bath, and only her head, neck and the perfect slope of the tops of her shoulders were visible. Her hair was swept up and her eyes were closed. The cool air from the open door chased through the room making the candle flames dance, but still she didn't open her eyes.

He walked across the tiled floors to the sink and pulled himself up to sit on the counter where he had a bird's eye view of her. He'd missed looking at her even though he'd committed her face and body to memory many years ago. Time moved by and finally those dark brown eyes he loved opened and met his for the briefest of seconds before they slid away from him. She sat up and pulled the plug from the drain. His eyes sharpened. She stood up gracefully in the tube and stepped out like a ballerina. Chuck swallowed hard. His eyes followed the remaining bubbles as tried to cling to her, but slid down her skin leaving trails in their wake. He wanted to catch them. Damn, his wife was sexy. Even after all these years he wanted her even more than ever.

Blair could feel his eyes all over her and she turned to reach for a thick white towel. As she patted herself dry Blair ignored him and she hid her face from his so he wouldn't see her smirk. Still acting as if he didn't exist, she wrapped the towel loosely around her body and moved to her vanity. Once seated she picked up his favourite lotion, squeezing out a portion into her palm and began to smooth the cream over her skin, starting with her shoulders and arms. She shut her eyes and tilted her face towards him, letting him see the sultry expression on her face. With her arms finished, she stood so she was in profile to him and placed on led up on the vanity's seat, now bending to rub the cream into her legs in long strokes. She bit her lip to not react when she heard him stifle a groan.

She was working him over just like she'd planned… but then she made a near fatal error. She glanced over at him. Her mouth went dry at the site of him, which was the direct opposite of what was happening in other parts of her body. His body looked to be in complete repose, but this was countered by the intensity in his eyes. He sat on the sink counter and slouched into the wall, his head lulling. His legs were resting apart and his feet hung in the air. His dress shirt was buttoned, but his tie had been loosened. His hair was ruffled by his own agitated caresses, and she wished it had been her fingers to have did the damage. Her look lasted but an instant, but desire hit her like a speeding truck. Damn, her husband was sexy. Through all the years her desire for him only grew.

Flustered she grabbed her silk robe as she dropped her towel, and she slipped it on and quickly walked out of the room. Blair was having trouble catching her breath as she stood by the bed, and it got even worse when she felt him come to stand behind her. He was so close that she felt his breath sweep across the back of her neck and gooseflesh ran down her arms at the sensation.

Chuck's hands shook as he stood at her back, not touching her but desperately wanting to. Her moistened skin caused the silk to cling to her wetly, the sent of the lotion still strong enough on her body that it filled him with it, and he licked his lips in want.

He leaned in and she could now feel the heat of his body so close to hers. Shivers chased through her body and straight to her centre.

It had been so long since he'd touched her, is what both of them were thinking, but neither said.

Finally, feeling as if his free will had escaped him against his desire for her, he ran his fingers down the length of each of her upper arms. He felt her trembling, as he pressed closer to whisper into her ear. "Blair…"

On a gasp of pleasure she spun around and threw herself into his welcoming arms. They wrapped themselves tighter and tighter around themselves as their mouths met in wet, fiery kiss that they both felt down to their toes. Chuck tumbled them back onto their large bed, their mouths never breaking apart, and they claimed each other as they had dreamt of doing all the weeks they'd been apart.

TahDAH! Okay, I know I told you all it was going to be CB heavy, but I never really know everything until it comes out. This was only half CB centric, but I have I think the next will be more flush with our couple. I know it kind of breaks off there at the end, but… it will pick up in a good place. Forgive me? I did try to give you a little hotness.

And I don't know if I've mentioned this before… but I'm pretty cheap. I know I have to buy a new computer… but I'm chicken to spend the cash. Plus… My computer is like six years old. I dragged her with me from Toronto to Ottawa, back to Toronto, and then across the country to Vancouver. She was problem free through my undergrad. I've written every fan fic I've ever written on her… I have way, WAY to great an attachment to Mallory. Did I mention I named her?

Oh, and forget Twilight. I want to see Like Crazy. (no offense to the Twi-Hards intended)


	37. Chapter 37

Hello! I really think everyone who loves my fics is going to love me now having a laptop instead of a desk top. I can now write during commercials and boring shows from the comfort of my bed. I think I'll be updating more frequently... however I do find my butt gets numb sitting on my bed when it doesn't in my desk chair. Here we go...

Harry and Bart stood over the bathroom sink brushing their teeth at Lily's house. Lily always put the Bass boys in the same room with two twin beds... and after tucking them in... would lock them in. She'd learned her lesson after they'd decided dye the neighbour's pool after she'd kept a ball of theirs that had gone over her fence. Lily still didn't want to know how the boys made purple water. At the moment she stood in the doorway supervising their nightly grooming. Bart finished first and leaned over the sink. Harry leaned over Bart. Bart spit into the sink. Harry spat onto Bart's neck. Bart snorted. Harry snickered. Lily rolled her eyes and was thankful for absentee parenting that had led her to miss most of this stage with her own children. Harry strutted to his bed as Lily washed Bart's neck. She knew Harry was still put out because she was making him go to bed at the same time as his little brother, but in her defense it was late... and she and Rufus did have two episodes of Breaking Bad on Tivo.

When she walked into the room, holding Bart's hand, she saw Harry sprawled out across his bed, hands tucked behind his bed and staring at the ceiling. "What do you think they're doing?"

"Working out their differences." Lily said diplomatically as she helped Bart into bed and under the covers.

"Well, at least they have to play fair."

"What makes you think that?" She asked as she came to sit on the side of his bed.

"I took their handcuffs!" Harry smiled.

Hours later, just a short drive away, Blair and Chuck lay next to each other, sprawled across their bed, legs outstretched, arms spread over damp sheets, still touching. Always touching.

Very few words, other than their Safe ones had been uttered from their lips in the beginning, but as the bouts and time went on, confessions were made, but they had yet to discuss the details or the fallouts. With the breath in both of them returning to a human pace they each thought over what the other had said.

"I can't believe you let my sons get laced with laxatives." Chuck gripped indignantly.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Please. Harry deserved it. You should have seen the things he put me through. You're lucky I didn't put him on a plane to Boarding School with a note pinned to his chest that said, 'Pain in the Ass'."

Chuck smiled knowing how difficult Harry could be, and knowing that Blair would rather donate her fortune to charity than send Harry away... most days anyway. He glance over at her and asked. "What about Bart?"

She had the good graces to look at least mildly guilty for letting Bart eat the drugged cookies. She went on defensively. "You know, just because he's quiet doesn't mean he's innocent. He'll do something eventually and it will all even out."

Chuck shrugged knowing she was right. He thought of his oldest son again. "His drinking?"

Blair shook her head, staring up again. "It was one drink... and I think he was just making a point."

"Like father like son?"

She could hear the slight worry in his voice. "I think he was attempting to plot-"

"Like both his parents." Chuck interrupted with a smirk.

Blair bit back a smile herself. "As I was saying, he was attempting to plot in order to bring his father home. It was a solid plan, his execution was off, but it was a good effort. He'll get better."

"God, help us." He said, but they shared a knowing look. They were Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck. Not even their children could get one over on them... the boys just didn't know it yet.

The fire lit in their eyes again and they were reaching for each other, lips finding lips like magnet and metal. Skin melding together like they were one. One.

An hour later they were still on their backs, but now Blair's head rested against a pillow near the foot of the bed, her hip pressed against his upper thigh, and her foot rested on his chest. When she scrunched her toes in his chest hair, he flinched, catching the offending foot and biting her big toe enough to make her squeal, before kissing the tip and replacing it to his chest. It was quiet again before he spoke.

"Neither of you had to."

"Had to what?" She said having lost her train of thought with the aftershocks still shooting through her body.

"Scheme." He elaborated. "There was never a doubt that I was going to come home."

"Agreed." She said truthfully. "I think we both just wanted to hurry you back."

"Yes, but for different reasons."

"True."

She'd told him about Aidan how it had played the boys right into her hands. She told him about Violet but sought to make him understand.

"The girl?" He frowned.

"She's harmless."

He propped himself up on his elbows so he could look at her and just raised one eyebrow and glared his thought that she was crazy. Blair couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright. I concede. Maybe not so harmless."

Chuck gave a firm nod before laying back down. Blair's hand stroked soothing circles into the skin, still damp with sweat, on his leg. "I actually think you'd like her. I do."

"I won't."

"You will."

"I don't like anyone who tries to come between us."

"Have you spoken to Nate recently?" She asked idly.

"On the plane."

"I rest my case."

Chuck grunted, not agreeing with her in the least. His hands began to move up from her toes.

"Violet is... she's just... sad, Chuck. She actually reminded me you when we were her age... and parts of me. She has so much love inside her... and very few people to give it to. She saw someone she wanted... and she went after them."

"You." Chuck bit out, having heard about the events earlier in the evening.

"Now, now. Don't get jealous of a little girl. Neither the boys nor you had anything to worry about. Much like you, I was never going anywhere."

Chuck smiled as he massaged her ankle. "By the way... We need to get new handcuffs."

"Why?" She was actually curious.

"Because something about seeing them on our son… kills my mood."

She burst out laughing and he smiled at the sound. "I didn't think anything could kill your mood."

"You don't know me as well as you think you do, I guess..."

"When the car slid off the road in Cape Breton and we were trapped in that car for hours..." She smirked as she started rambling off times she'd been sure he wouldn't have been able to perform... only to have been pleasantly surprised by his eager participation.

"That was a necessity. Body heat, Waldorf. Body heat."

"The time I had food poisoning."

"We weren't face to face." He pointed out.

"The butler's pantry during tea with both your mother and mine."

He leaned up again to give her a knowing half smile. "That was you who was experiencing the performance anxiety."

"True." She admitted. "But I came along nicely."

He chuckled at her teasing and at the memory of her flushed skin as they sat with Lily and Eleanor minutes after.

"Fine, Bass." She huffed. "We'll get new handcuffs, but..." She left off mischievously.

Quick as lightening, she pulled her legs up to quickly spring herself at him, straddling his hips, catching one of his wrists in each of her hands and pinning them above his head. She looked down at him with a sultry smile, her long dark hair coming down like a curtain around them both.

"I guess we're just going to have to improvise till then." She informed him with the presence of a master.

Slipping from her grasp he wrapped his arms around her and flipped them so she was pinned underneath him. He smiled at her gasp of pleasure. "That is one of our many strengths."

"Chuck?"

"Yes, Blair?"

"Shut up and improvise already."

It was near dawn and the Basses were finally exhausted. They lay under the entwined under the covers, Blair's head on his chest, his chin rubbing softly against her hair, holding. Their breathing deepened, but before Blair's ever active mind let go so she could sleep, she had to ask.

With eyes barely open she husked. "You're mother?"

"Hmmm?" He was so tired he could hardly form sounds let alone words. His tongue was think in his mouth and if he'd had the energy he would have reached for the glass of water beside the bed, but he couldn't even imagine raising his arms from perfect, warm body, so he swallowed and tried again. "I wanted to see her..."

"Why?" She murmured, her eyelids having won the battle and closing.

"I wanted to see... What she chose... in the place of family... of love."

"And?" She whispered.

"And... I knew it was a place I never wanted to be. I'm sorry about this summer... I should have stayed with you and the boys..." His eyes were closed now as well His body still.

"I'm sorry too."

"For what?" He would have raise an eyebrow at her if he'd had the strength. Instead he managed curiosity.

Blair sighed, a breath away from sleep. She snuggled deeper into her chest. "I don't remember. Ask me tomorrow."

"I... love you... Blair...

"I love... you...Chuck..."

TahDAH! This was a mostly CB chapter. I know it was short, but I hope you liked it. I also wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for their wonderful response to this story. The reviewers, thank you for taking the time to read and review, and so many of you have such nice things to say. Even the snarky ones. I kid. I have love for the snarky ones. Also I want to thank everyone who reads my work. I can see the visitor count and I find it endlessly shocking the amount of traffic this story gets. I'm humbled. Okay, I don't know if I'm capable of humble, but I'm grateful. Thanks to all.

Okay so today I was at work and wondering if I was going to be off at five on Monday so I could get home and catch the last half hour of GG before watching the whole thing later with a friend... when I realized I may be home in time for the crash. My stomach dropped into my toes and I realized how bad I want to see next week's episode since watching the previews. I haven't felt that way in a while about GG... THAT is the power of CB. I wish they'd remember that more often.


	38. Chapter 38

Hello! So... I'm lazy. For those of you who like or enjoy ITY I have good news. I'm marathoning this puppy, much like I did an OTH fic back in my Naley days. I don't plan on it going on for as long, but I do have many ideas that are floating in my little ole head, so I know it won't be ending tomorrow. Just for those that are wondering there are several minor ones, a major one for each boy, and two major stories for our core couple. One of them I've straight out told a couple of people, while others can, I'm sure, guess... the second just came into my head this afternoon. It's fairly big, and we'll see if I can pull it off. Regardless, I still really enjoy writing this piece and these characters. Oh, and this is a fix up chapter. It's going to clear up the loose ends and make way for the new stuff. It may just be a little boring and a lot fluffy, but I think I needed it to transition. Okay so a little bit of a new plan. I time jump along the way here but the start picks up from the last chapter. Still with me? Here we go...

The next day when Blair and Chuck had joined the family for lunch at Lily's, Blair had smiled at her grumpy younger son. It was clear that he thought she was much too happy and that his father hadn't done that great of a job making her see the error of her ways. After a night's sleep and careful thought, Harry now looked at his mother with awe. "Mother, when I grow up I want to be just like you."

"God, help us." Dan had moaned.

"Whatever, Humphrey. You know you love me." Blair chirped.

There was a wink around the whole table, because all but she seemed to know that there had been a time when he really had.

With weeks still left in the summer the Basses spent their time enjoying the still hot days, and ignoring the chill in the evenings that signaled the coming change in the seasons. While they met up with friends and dominated the social scene, the Basses could be an inverted lot as well. They liked each other and their family's company best, so they indulged in it now. Chuck took the boys to the club for racket ball, Harry played while Bart kept score. The spa came in to their home and it was family mani/pedi/facials for everyone. They lay by the pool as Bart sipped on smoothies and Harry snorkeled for rings that Blair had thrown into the pool for him to fine. When she saw how good he was she got smaller rings. Meals were together, as were many movie nights. The boys had grown up on Audrey and the classics, and Chuck was convinced they had ended up making their sons hopeless romantics just like their mother. Blair told him she didn't care, she'd followed her heart and in the end look where she'd ended up. With her happily ever after.

She didn't want to kill him again till they'd been home in the city for over a month. Everyone said it was a new record.

About a year later...

Like usual in the Bass home on a Saturday morning, it was Chuck that awoke first and was at the table with his paper a good hour before the next Bass even opened their eyes. That wasn't always true. Sometimes Chuck woke Blair, but more often that not she'd roll over and go back to sleep afterward no matter how much he pestered her to wake up. The most he'd get was a comment about how she'd just played with him and he'd now have to entertain himself for a few hours, because now she was tired again. She'd pull down her sleeping mask, curl under the covers and be back to sleep in no time, albeit with a smile on her face.

He did not wake her up this morning. In fact he didn't feel much like talking to her, let alone playing with her, and reading the front page of the Wall Street journal, he was seriously considering giving her the silent treatment for at least a week, and texted her to inform her of this decision. He got a very inappropriate image text back, which he saved to stare at later, but didn't reply to.

Harry walked in later and took his seat to the left of his father. They greeted each other with a smile. Wordlessly Chuck handed Harry a section and both started to read. As they read they wold talk of companies or properties. An hour later a bleary eyed Bart wondered in, saying nothing, and sat in his seat before dropping his forehead onto the wood of the table. He wouldn't raise his head again until a maid would bring him half a glass of chocolate milk with one blueberry floating in it. They had all ceased to ask.

Finally Blair came downstairs, looking stunning as always, but not speaking. Like Bart, she was known not to be a morning person. Breakfast was served and Harry carried most of the conversation, never having a problem with the sound of his own voice. As they were finishing a maid came into the room to inform them that Ms. Violet was there. Harry perked up. Bart scowled and popped his milk berry into his mouth.

In the year that he known her, much to Bart and Chuck's ire, Harry had become fast friends with Violet. Blair herself was on the fence, not sure whether he was doing it because he actually liked the girl or was just doing it to get under his brother's skin.

Violet appeared in the doorway and smiled at Blair. "Good morning, Mrs. Bass." And then with the slightest hesitation she looked towards Chuck. "Good morning, Mr. Bass."

In his best impersonation of the original Bart Bass, Chuck just grunted.

"Hello, Violet." Blair smiled at the girl who had become her son's best friend despite all that had happened before.

Violet seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the clear indication that at least half of the Basses didn't seem to hate her. "I, um, just came by to see if Harry wanted to see a movie?"

"Sounds good." Harry nodded already getting up from the table.

Blair cleared her throat. "Mother, may I please see a movie with Violet this afternoon?"

Blair smiled. "Of course..."

He was ready to bolt.

"So long as you take your brother with you..."

"Moootherrrr!" Harry groaned before stomping out of the room with Violet offering a wave and a smile even though this put a damper on the afternoon for both of them. Everyone could clearly hear Violet whisper to Harry, "Your Dad hates me." and his less than reassuring answer of, "Pretty much."

"Have fun!" Blair chirped.

Bart offered her a smile, looking forward to an afternoon with his big brother, who at the age of eleven tolerated being followed around by six-year old Bart less and less. He didn't even care that their mother made Harry relent. He didn't even care that She was going to be there.

Blair looked over at Chuck through batting lashes. "Well... now it's just the two of us... all alone... Whatever shall we do with ourselves..."

He scowled at her. "I'm not that easy." He bit out before storming out of the room.

She rolled her eyes, grabbed a berry and popped it into her mouth before flopping back in her chair. After the kids were off to the movies in the limo with two guards specially trained to stay in the background, but to be ready.

Blair then wondered towards his office, knowing he could hear her coming in her heels, but she wasn't trying to surprise him. She measured her gate so he'd be aware of her every step. She smiled when she stood in the doorway and observed him, resolutely, not looking up at her, but keeping his focus on his computer screen. She started across the hardwood, her fingers going to the buttons of her blouse and then letting it fall from her shoulders, her arms, the tips of her fingers. More steps brought her closer to him as her hands found the zipper of her skirt and soon that was on the floor too. By the time she was at his side she was in a nothing but her black bustier, lace panties, and gartered stockings.

He didn't move. He didn't look up at her. But she saw the sweat that broke out on the back of his neck. He let her push his shoulders back in the chair, and he didn't stop her when she straddled his lap. He turned his head away. She kissed his neck.

"Don't pout." She ran her tongue up his neck to bite the skin just under his ear. "It's unbecoming..."

He pushed her back, but latched his hands onto her hips. She gasped with a sly grin, having go a reaction from him she was feeling victorious.

"I'm not pouting." He seethed. "I'm just very..." He gripped her hips and hiked her onto the surface of his desk. "Very..." He ripped away material barriers. "Angry."

Grabbing the back of her neck and jerked her mouth to his. Blair aggressively ripped her fingers into his hair to lock him close.

An hour later they lay on the plush carpet before the fireplace with the throw cover from his leather couch covering them. Her breathing was still uneven as she propped herself up on one elbow to look down at him.

"Still angry?" She asked with a quirk of her perfectly shaped brow?

With a grunt he tossed the blanket off of him and stood up, striding to where his pants had landed and tugging them on. She watched him, or in actuality, she watched his naked ass until it was once again hidden by his pants. His movements were short and forceful and he tore the fabric as he tried to do up the button.

"I'll take that as a yes..." Blair mused, still unaffected by her husband's reactions to recent events.

Gracefully getting up from the floor, she wrapped the blanket like a sarong around herself and went over to sit demurely on the sofa. WIth her legs curled to the side under her she waited for him to join her. He begrudgingly did.

"You know we're not exclusive..." She started.

"You could have fooled me." He grumbled.

"While I admit that I have primarily aligned myself with you... we never had binding contract, Bass."

"I would have thought a marriage license would suffice."

She smiled. If anyone had been eavesdropping they would have assumed the Basses had been secretly maintaining an open marriage. They'd have been wrong.

"Chuck, this is business... it's nothing personal..." She reminded him for the millionth time since he'd found out.

"You take on one of my chief rivals in the mid-west as a client... and I'm not supposed to think it's personal. This is about your anniversary present isn't it?"

"It's not that. It's not personal... Okay, so there is a personal aspect to it... which is what I wanted to talk to you about now."

"Make an appointment with my secretary." He wanted to say, but he caught wind that she might be ready to talk to him about what had been going on in her head lately. Nothing had been wrong, but sometimes he'd catch her drifting off and daydreaming. When he'd ask, she'd tell him that it was nothing but he knew that was a lie. "Tell me."

She sighed. "Chuck... I've been... bored lately..."

The look of fear that shot across his face, even though he knew they were happy, he suddenly wondered if he'd missed something with her, failed her in some way, had her launching herself across the couch at him.

Her hands found his and she was soothing yet earnest. "Not with you... or the boys... or our life together."

He started breathing again. "Then what is it?"

"I'm bored with my life."

"You've lost me, Waldorf." He said honestly, trying to understand.

She smiled. "My life. The life I have when I'm not here or with you or the boys. My business..."

"Is the number one image, design and fashion conglomerate on the East Coast." He said proudly.

She smiled again. She was proud that she'd built her business up the way she had. "I know... but I'm tired of it. It's the same old thing over and over again. There's only so much of my good taste I can spread around. Tacky seems to be everywhere."

"Which is why people need you... why I need you." He reminded her. Over the years her firm had worked on many, many Bass Industries projects while maintaining their own autonomy, until recently when Blair had over seen her company taking on other projects, even if they were in competition with his. The latest one being the largest.

"I know, and I'll always be there for you." She promised. "But the rest... I'm just bored, and have been for a while now. You know how much I like a challenge... and there just isn't one for me anymore... at least not where I am."

"Then what are you thinking? Total global domination?" He teased but seriously wanted to know the plans she'd made, only slightly put out that she hadn't talked to him before, but he had a feeling this was something she'd needed to come to on her own.

"Eventually, of course." She teased back, but then go nervous as she gave her real answer. "But... I thought... maybe Law School to start?"

She bit her lip as she waited for his response, caring about what he thought and his opinion. She was rewarded by the giddy grin and laughter that came out of him.

"Blair!" He grabbed her and hugged her. "That's an amazing idea!"

"Really?" She sighed, still surprised at how much she'd been holding her breath.

"Of course."

With the bandaid of her idea ripped off and taken well she launched into her plan. "Well, like I said, I've been looking for a new challenge... and I think Law School would be the place to start. Naturally I have plans for after I pass the Bar, but I haven't narrowed it down yet. You could be the husband of a Supreme Court Judge one day, Bass..."

He smiled at the light in her eyes. He'd seen it when they were together and when she was with the children, but it was true that he hadn't seen it there when she'd talked about her profession in quite sometime. It now made sense that she'd taken other high profile jobs. She was stocking the company's portfolio before she prepared to sell it. He smiled at her.

"Does that mean you'll wipe my record clean?"

"I would take more than that." She derided, teasing at his long ago checkered past. "But maybe if I were President..."

She frowned for a moment. "It won't be easy. The boys are getting older, but they still need me."

"I still need you too... but we'll work it out." He promised before smiling seductively. "And I'll pick up the slack... I like the idea that you'll owe me..."

"Careful... or I'll find you in contempt..." She leaned in and bit his lower lip.

He smiled seductively back at her. "I think I just got assaulted..."

"I'll plead guilty."

"I'll get the handcuffs."

"Take me away."

TahDAH! Okay so there was only one major time jump in this chapter. It won't be the last, but I don't have a clear idea of when they'll be coming. I shall try to always make them clear. Fingers crossed. PS- I know this chapter kind of ended suckily, but please don't hate me for it. I also have to say it was much longer with a big fluffy section in it, but I took it out. What I decided to do was make that fluffy section a one shot that I will post in I Will Show You Love eventually, after I've tweaked it to not look so much in the ITY world. Thanks!

Did you ever mail something, like an important document and then forget whether you signed it or not. I went to sleep with the relief of knowing something was in the mail. I woke up at 4am with the thought that I'd anally gone over ever line... and then forgot to sign it. Then I tried to remember and then I thought perhaps, yes, for sure I did sign my name and print it underneath. I remember doing that... but then was that for something else? And around and around I go. Frak.

Oh, and I have a bone to pick with Chuck Bass (hehehe.) But seriously... my mom happens to read People magazine and Lainey Gossip, and she also collects ceramic cats(and real ones. Up until last year she had five. Now four. Let us not speak of him)... and she is a WONDERFUL woman! He should watch his tone.


	39. Chapter 39

Hello! Okay, so I'm starting this with an apology. I had some posting difficulty and I pulled the chapter down and tried to repost it... and it went a little crazy. I should have had more patience, so I'm really sorry for that. From what I've seen ITY took a hit in both reviews and visitor count. I hope people will come back and I'll try not to screw it up again. Once again, I'm very sorry. Or people didn't like it and that's what the low numbers reflected. As some of you know, I don't generally ask for reviews. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but I just personally I feel that if you want to review you will and I'm a free will kind of girl. However... I have no idea if the low numbers of reviews and visitors was because of the posting mix up or if people got turned of the story for plot or character reasons. I write what flies into this little brain of mine, but I do like to get a vibe of whether others like my story as much as I enjoy writing it. If you don't feel like leaving a review that's cool... but maybe you could PM me? Once again I knew numbers would take a hit... but not this hard. Big stress letting out breath. Ahhh. Let's move on to happier subjects? The new chapter. This chapter picks up about a year after the last one. Here we go...

One year later...

Chuck leaned against the wall of the elevator. It had been a long day. He'd gotten up early and been into the office before 7am, because he knew his plate was full and he wanted to make sure he was home on time for supper with his family. He'd missed three evening meals this week and if the boys didn't bare him a high resemblance he worried they'd forget what he looked like. When he'd said that to Blair this morning after promising to be home she'd laughed and asked him who he was again? His reaction had almost made him late for work.

The elevator pinged open and he lifted himself up off the wall and walked into the foyer. He left his coat and briefcase on a bench to be collected by his valet later and went looking for Blair. It wasn't a difficult search, because at this time of night, a half hour before dinner was served, she'd be in office, retyping her notes from todays class, or going over articles or volumes to prepare for papers or other classes. With ease she'd gotten into Columbia Law and he hadn't even had to bribe the admission office let alone build a rotunda in her name. Blair had gotten in on her own merits and he actually felt bad for some of her classmates. Blair was fierce and seemed built for the study. She'd always had the nature of an academic, committed to learning, intelligent and with a competitive nature that drove her to be the best. It was of no surprise that she was top of her class or that she planned on fast tracking to finish in two years instead of three.

He got to the door of her office and leaned against the jam to just look at her for a few moments. It was a hobby he never grew tired of because even after all these years she still fascinated him. The room has once been filled with flex sheets and fashion reports. There had been charts and pictures everywhere. It had been an CEOs space. It now was brimming with law books and case studies. At this moment, if she wasn't pouring over a think torts book, she would look little like a law student. Her silken dark hair was swept up, she wore a black silk dress, two long strings for pearls he'd gotten her just because when he'd seen them in the store in Tokyo he hadn't been able to get the image of them resting between her breasts out of his mind. He made a mental note to insist on seeing them without the dress in the way later tonight when they were alone in their rooms. Her legs were crossed and he followed her slim calves all the way down to her red open toed heels. She was in profile and she was stunning. He couldn't help himself. He walked over to her and leaned down to kiss the back of her neck. He knew she'd heard him coming. He knew she was trying not to smile as she kept herself focused on the work in front of her.

"Bass." She had on the stern voice he loved. "We had a deal."

"I know... but I couldn't help myself."

He caught the hint of her smile before she but on a mock scowl. "No buts. No touching during study hours... except on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now... What day is it?"

They both knew but he grumbled anyway. "Wednesday."

"I thought so." She nodded. "Now, I'll finish up here in time for dinner to be served. Why don't you go freshen up?"

He knew he was being dismissed and he stuck with the deal for two reasons, one he really did want her to do well, and two... it really got him going. "Fine, but I'm going to take you across your desk tomorrow... just so we're clear."

Blair's eyes widened. "I remember your moves being a lot smoother in the past..."

"You'll love it anyway." He smiled, holding her head to kiss the frown between her brows. "Twenty minutes for food?"

She nodded with a smile and he went upstairs to shower and change for dinner. When he started down the hall towards the bedrooms he spotted Bart right away. The seven year old was leaning against the wall opposite his brother's shut bedroom door, and looked as if he'd been camped out there for a while. He had several anime comics spread around him, along with a plate of fruit which he was allowed to eat before supper and a half empty bowl of gummy worms which he wasn't, and a mug of hot chocolate that was on the fence. Chuck paused in front of him as he loosened his tie and looked down at his youngest. Bart looked up at him with a now familiar, and very particular type of frown. The kind he only used for one person.

"Violet?" Chuck asked needlessly.

Bart shoved a gummy in his mouth and then spit it into his hot chocolate. It was a disgusting gesture that represented his feelings for Harry's... person of interest. Even so, Chuck nearly threw up witnessing the gross display.

"Don't ever let your mother catch you doing that." Chuck warned. "I can't guarantee she wouldn't put you up for adoption for it."

Bart scowled at the closed door, clearly holding a certain blue eyed 12 year old responsible for this too. Chuck hid his smile.

"This too shall pass, son..." Chuck mused as he continued to the Master suite.

After becoming fast friends last year, Harry and Violet were inseparable, and since Bart's most happy place was at his brother's hip it was getting a mite crowded for the younger Bass' liking. Last month it had gotten worse. Blair and Chuck had seen it coming, but Bart had been blindsided. During the Cooper's Ball, and after showing off their newly minted waltz skills, Harry and Violet had shared their first kiss in an alcove surrounded by candlelight. It had been perfect. Magical. There had, of course, been one witness. Bart had pulled the fire alarm. The sprinklers had gone off. The fire department, the police and several top security agencies had rushed the ballroom. Clothing was ruined. Hardwood was destroyed. Property was permanently damaged. Harry Bass still went home with a grin on his face, which was the exact counter point to his brother's frown.

The next day at breakfast Harry had announced that Violet was his girlfriend. She'd become an even bigger fixture in their home than she had been before... only now there was a closed door, with Bart finding himself on what he very much considered the wrong side.

Chuck walked into his bedroom and pulled the clothes from his body. He stepped under the spray and let the water push through his hair. He scrubbed his chest and let out a breath. It felt good to be home. He leaned out of the massive shower to grab his cell and text his wife. "It's lonely in the shower..."

He washed his hair and after rinsing it he checked his phone. "You're never far from your right hand."

He smiled and turned off the water. After moisturizing and setting his hair, he splashed on some cologne, dressed and walked back into the hall. Bart hadn't moved but he had started another comic. Chuck didn't comment, but knocked on Harry's bedroom door. He opened it a second later. Harry and Violet pulled quickly apart. Violet looked mortified. Harry looked disgruntled. There were text books and notes out, but clearly not much studying going on.

"Father." He greeted.

"Dinner. Five minutes." Chuck said trying not to smile as he shut the door again.

He did start smiling then but it dropped when he saw the disapproving look on Bart's face.

"What?" He murmured defensively. "They were just kissing..."

Bart's eyes narrowed and it was clear that he was judging his father's parenting skills. He was about to further defend himself, as he would have to Blair, by saying that all clothes were in place and hands clearly hadn't been involved. He stopped himself from telling that to his seven year old, and besides Bart clearly thought kissing was gross enough.

The door behind them suddenly opened and a giggling, handholding couple stumbled out. They stopped short, Violet instantly nervous again.

"Good-night, Mr. Bass." She said politely before quickly kissing Harry's cheek and making a break for it.

"Good night, Violet." Chuck said to the retreating girl's back.

Harry sighed, watching her go with a look on his face like he was going to miss her even though he was going to see her again in a little over twelve hours, and as if he wouldn't be texting her a dozen times after dinner. When she was gone, he glanced down to where Bart was sitting and raised a brow.

"You need a hobby." He declared before heading downstairs.

Bart looked at his father with a "See!" expression, which Chuck took to mean that Bart saw evidence of Violet being an evil influence that no one, not even Chuck, saw. Chuck opened his mouth to try to come up with something to say... but shut it when he could think of nothing. As if deeply disappointed in his father Bart stood up and ignored him their whole walk downstairs.

The next morning Violet slipped into their home as was her routine, but today she didn't wait in the living room. She headed up to her boyfriend's room, because she couldn't wait another second to see him. Saturday night was the school dance, and their first as a couple. She'd found the exact dress she wanted to wear and couldn't wait to storm Harry's extensive closet to find an outfit for him that matched. She threw open his door and gasped, pulling it closed again with a quick, "Sorry! Sorry!"

She was breathlessly embarrassed to have caught him in his underwear. A few moments later a completely unembarrassed, and now fully dressed, Bass boy opened the door with a cheeky smile. "Violet... if you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask."

She wanted to slap him, but she went for aloof instead. She breezed into his room and sat on her favourite high-backed chair, crossing her legs at the ankles. "Please. You weight about 45lbs soaking wet and you're paler than milk. Believe me I'm going to make you wait for the honour of me seeing you bare until you've maned up a bit."

He chuckled and went to the mirror to straighten his school clothes. She looked at him and gave a sly smile. "I do have to ask... even purple underwear?"

"What can I say? I'm cultivating a distinct look." He smiled at her in the mirror as he set the product in his hair.

He'd left the door open when he'd let her in and Bart appeared in the doorway. For a moment he looked as if he had walked in to tell Harry something, but his mouth slammed shut when he saw Violet. Harry sigh, walked over to Bart, pushed him out of the room and slammed the door behind him. He walked back to the mirror, seeing but ignoring the look on Violet's face.

"You should be nicer to your brother."

He actually laughed. At first she'd just been making a passing observation, but at his laughter she dug her heels in to make a stand.

"I'm serious." She said clearly. "You should be nicer to your brother."

Harry laughed again. "So says the person that doesn't have to live with him."

Violet's face tightened for a moment before her eyes narrowed. "I bet I could make you..."

He turned from the mirror to look at her as he leaned against his dresser. "Really?" He clearly didn't buy it for a second.

"Uh huh." She smiled. "Easy... No kissing."

He nearly choked. "What?"

She smiled as she saw her plan was clearly working. "I said... No kissing. Be nice to your brother... even when I'm not around... or no kissing."

"And just how will you know?"

"I have my ways." She smiled and he swallowed because he had a feeling she did.

He looked at her carefully. Incredulously. "You're serious?"

She nodded. He scowled. "Fine. I'll be nice to my brother." He said it like he'd just been asked to do the worst thing in the world. Then his head tilted to the side. "So..."

"So?" She cocked her head to the side.

"So make with the kissing." He smiled.

A little while later Violet and Harry scampered downstair to join Blair and Bart for breakfast. While dinner was reserved for the four Basses, Violet often joined them for the morning meal. Since Chuck had usually already left for work, and Violet was used to Bart's animosity, so it was usually a pleasant time. This morning it was down right brilliant.

"Good morning, Mother." Harry said and kissed her on her offered cheek. Then he leaned over and patted his brother on the shoulder. "Bart. Did you sleep well?"

Bart nearly choked on his cantaloupe. He looked at his brother who normally would have shaken salt over his fruit by now, but was now asking how he slept? He somehow managed to nod.

"Good to hear! Not that you need your sleep, handsome scamp that you are." Harry smiled and shoved a fork full of scrambled eggs into his mouth, glancing at Violet who winked at him over her sip of orange juice. He then proceed to talk to his mother and girlfriend, which was per usual, but this morning he included his brother in the conversation... or at least as much as you could include a reluctant verbalist in any conversation. A half hour later Harry and Violet headed for the limo, with Harry offering a cheerful invite to ride with them and the promise that he would not pay the driver to pull away from the curb and make Bart chase the car.

Bart's eyes were wide as he watched them go and his head slowly turned to look at his mother. She looked just as stunned as he did and she managed a shrug. "Don't look at me. I didn't do it."

Bart stumbled after them and Blair picked up her cell to call her husband. "You are never going to believe what just happened."

Two days later the Bass household was in shambles. Harry was true to his word and continued to shower kindness and express love to his brother. Chuck and Blair watched, in fascination, the drama that was unfolding before them. Bartholomew Bass was falling apart. The nicer Harry got them more distressed Bart became. He hardly slept. He would only eat a vegan diet. He wouldn't change his socks. Blair could swear to Chuck that his hair was falling out. And the most telling? For the first time in his life he began to avoid his big brother. The tipping point came when Harry got up from watching Breaking Bad with them and went to bed... Bart came out from behind the curtain five minutes later, kissed each of their cheeks, and turned in himself.

"Did you know he was there?" Chuck mused.

"Hadn't had a clue." She commented. They'd been sitting in the room for at least an hour.

"Time to intervene?" He raised a questioning brow.

"It would appear so." She sighed.

"Causes?"

"One word."

"Violet." He chewed the name.

"Thoughts?"

"You."

Blair sighed. "Much like your son, you're going to have to get used to her eventually."

"You take this one and I promise to be nice."

"To Violet?" She insisted on clarifying.

"Dame your Law School mind..." He said at the closing of his intended loophole.

The next day Violet came over to the apartment to have her dress approved by Blair. When she got there a maid led her into the formal living room and she sat down to wait. She thought she was alone until she glanced up from inspecting her shoes to find... What could only be Bart Bass... or at least what was left of him. His hair was dull. There were circles under his eyes. He was wearing a Justin Bieber T-Shirt. He had clearly stepped three paces past losing his sanity.

He was practically foaming at the mouth when his lips formed words. "What. Did. You. DO?"

She was aghast. "Do?"

"To. My. Brother?"

Violet clicked in. "You should be thanking me, instead of looking at me like that."

His mouth opened and shut rapidly.

"If you spoke more you wouldn't be having this difficulty now." She said haughtily, insulted that he didn't seem to be at all grateful to her.

He looked like he was about to go for her throat when a voice broker the tension in the room.

"Bart." Blair said firmly. "I'd like a word with Violet."

He nodded and walked away. When he was past Blair, she saw his small shoulders slump and her heart hurt for him. Clearing her throat she joined Violet on the couch.

"Violet, we have an issue."

Violet's eyes widened and she waited. Blair continued.

"Harry was five when Bart was born... and hated him before he'd even laid eyes on him, and it only got worse after we brought him home. The things he used to do..." Blair drifted off and the memories, and could even smile about it now. She shook her head to bring herself back to the present. "Well, over the years it has continued. Bart on the other hand... Has overtly loved and been dedicated to Harry his whole life. In the beginning Mr. Bass and I tried everything to get Harry to... if not like him, at least stop actively trying to give him away. Nothing worked."

"Until now." Violet sat up with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"Not quite. What you've done is throw a wrench in the works and neither boy is happy about it?"

"What?" Violet was shocked.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Please don't try telling me that you haven't noticed how upset Harry is underneath all that seemingly unforced joviality."

It wasn't a question, and Violet had to admit Harry had seemed different the past couple of days. He wasn't his usually talkative self. He always seemed like he was looking for someone who wasn't there... and he didn't even seem to have much interest in kissing. Something was wrong.

"I don't get it?" She said more to herself than to Blair.

"I know, but perhaps you shouldn't. It took Mr. Bass and I a time to figure it out as well. You're an only child. And with the exception of adopted siblings and step siblings that came along in our teens, Mr. Bass and I were only children as well."

Blair looked at Violet with a warm light in her eyes as she thought of her sons relationship, and went on to explain. "Bart loves Harry. From the bottom of his heart. His brother is his favourite person in the world, and he'd never dream of hurting him or acting against him. Haven't you ever noticed that no matter what Harry does... Bart never retaliates? I think it would hurt him more than it would Harry."

"I understand." Violet nodded. It didn't take a genius to see that Bart worshipped Harry.

Blair looked at her. "Here's the part you need to know. For as much as Bart loves Harry... Harry loves Bart back... maybe even more so."

Violet looked at Blair as if she'd lost her mind. Blair continued. "What we've come to understand is that Harry expresses his love for Bart through torturing him. He never does it to truly harm Bart, but it's... him. Harry is Harry, and there is no one he'd rather torture than his baby brother. I believe it to be a thing of pride for Bart. And also, the more he tortures Bart... the more-"

"Bart knows Harry loves him." Violet realized.

"And to be clear... Harry is allowed to torture Bart. No one else. This is our rule, but also his. Bart can be... Bart. It gets him noticed and not always in a good way. We've been called down to the office on numerous occasions when Harry has staged takedowns on those who tried to act against his brother."

It all made a weird kind of sense now, but Violet repeated it to make it clear in her own head. "The nicer and clingier Bart is to Harry, the more Harry feels his brother's love. The more aloof and torturous Harry acts towards Bart... the more Bart feels his brother's love."

"The Basses are nothing if not complex." Blair reminded.

"And I've screwed the whole thing up."

"Bingo."

"So what do I do?"

"I would suggest fixing it before both my sons have nervous breakdowns."

That night Violet came over after getting ready for the dance, so that Blair and Dorota could take pictures of them in their formal wear. There had been many dances before, but this was the first official one. After the pictures Violet asked for a moment alone with Harry and they went into Chuck's office. When they came out, Chuck was passing out watered down champagne and Harry took a flute. He took a sip, toasted Violet and his parents... and then threw the rest at Bart's crotch.

"You really need to stop wetting your pants, Bart. It's downright embarrassing at your age." Harry said offhand as he took his coat from a maid and held Violet's open for her.

Bart didn't move. The Basses didn't move. Violet gave Blair a secret thumbs up. Harry got out of there before his parents could react. Blair and Chuck looked down at their equally shocked son, waiting for his reaction. Bart's eyes wondered skyward and he burst out. "Thank you!"

WIth that he gave his parents a goofy grin and went to bed for the first good night's sleep he'd had in days.

"Those are your children." Blair rolled her eyes.

"I was just about to tell you the same thing."

"Thank god there's only two of them."

"Amen."

TahDAH! So there is the new, I still feel guilty chapter. It's longer than my usual and because of that my whole ass is numb. Does my numb ass earn more forgiveness or less? I swear it's a cute ass. Oh, so because it long... I proof read even less. I know! You'd think I would to win you back to my clearly charming personality... but if tried to tell you I wasn't lazy... it would be a lie to you. I wouldn't do that! My beautiful, wonderful readers!

Must sleep now. I have work in the morning and a Christmas party that night. I bought a pink dress. A very pink dress. And a belt with a big black bow on it. I think five years of GG have made me love bows. I don't remember loving them before. I certainly didn't WEAR them before... Oh, GG... What have you done to me?


	40. Chapter 40

Hello! So, I was going to do a little filler chapter. A little story about Violet and Harry... but then I realized that this was a CB fic and it was also going to be the fortieth chapter of I Told You. Because of this I've decided to scrap the V and H story, and jump into the CB story that I've had in my head for a long while, something I always knew I was going to do, something many of you have hoped for and some of you have guessed at. I hope when I'm done it will have been worth the wait. For now I'd also like to say... Forty chapters and I'm still having fun. I hope you are too! Because of the timeframe I'm aiming for this chapter takes place about three years after the last. I'll try to catch everyone up as I go. Here we go...

About three years later...

He didn't wake her. He knew she'd want him too. He knew she had a million things to do today and she'd kill him later for letting her sleep in, but he still wasn't going to wake her.

After showering and dressing, Chuck was fastening his cufflinks as he watched his wife continue to sleep deeply in their bed. There wasn't much of her he could see at the moment with the duvet drawn up almost totally over her head, but out of the lump in the bed came a stream of dark hair that spread over her pillow. Like many mornings he'd woken with his face pressed into her sweet smelling hair, and like many mornings his first reaction was to kiss her neck. She didn't move or even moan like she usually did. He would have run his tongue over the skin as an added incentive to her waking, but he stopped himself. She'd been tired lately. Exhausted not only at the end of the day, but during, which was evident during any of their often made calls during the course of any day. She'd taken a rare day off during the week today, and he meant to see that she rested, so he got out of bed instead of trying to get into his wife.

He frowned a little and for the millionth time told himself that he was married to Blair Waldorf and if she wasn't burning the candle at both end she wasn't happy. She'd finished Law School two years ago, passed the New York Bar on the first try, and had accepted a position at one of the top law firms in Manhattan. It was also Cyrus' firm, but no one had the guts to comment on that, and within a month of working there no one cared. Blair was smart and worked hard all on her own, with or without the many connections she had. Her lawyer fathers had thought she'd go into corporate law and initially she'd thought about it, but it became clear over her first year that there were other cases that caught her attention and drew her, and Chuck wasn't surprised when her focus changed.

Blair had proven to have an aptitude for representing women in cases of intimate partner violence. At first it had been one or two cases she would assist on when she was starting out, but as she moved up the ladder so to did the amount of cases she request to be second chair on or that she'd take herself. One night as they lay in front of the fire in their Master Suite, Chuck had asked her about it, wanting her to talk about it, hoping it would lead to her talking about a period in her life that she tended to always shoot down whenever he tried to bring it up.

Sated they collapsed together, melting into each other, the blanket, the rug and were kept warm by the fire and their own body heat. He lay on his side propped up on an elbow as he watched the light of the flames dance across her beautiful, still glistening skin. His hand slid over her neck to glide into her hair, her ear now between his forefinger and thumb, rubbing gentle circles into into her skin. He was letting her know he was there even though it seemed like she was a million miles away after hearing him gently ask why she'd chosen yet another IPV case.

"I... understand them. I know what it's like to... think you're stuck in a place that is full of anger and violence... to blame yourself for being there in the first place... to feel like... maybe you deserve it even though none of that is true. It's not your fault. They never deserve it... I never deserved it..."

Her eyes were nearly black and so filled with tears they shone. Chuck knew his own eyes weren't dry. While it was rare, she'd still have nightmares of her time married to Jack. She'd awaken with a lurch and shake in Chuck's arms, leaving him feeling helpless as to how to comfort her and hoping his touch and soft words were enough. It always was, but she'd still taste the fear, often times not even for herself, but for what Jack might do to Harry. She remembered not caring what happened to her so long as Harry was safe. Her baby. Jack's rage still echoed through her mind even though it couldn't harm her or her son any more.

"When I finally got a chance to leave... Chuck, I had my mother to call. My fathers. Serena... Nate... You... even then I knew I could call you and you would help me..."

He could hear the assurance in her voice, and he swallowed hard. Yes, if she had called him then he would have helped her. He would have helped her and then ripped Jack apart. If he had known what was going on she wouldn't have even had to ask. They both knew that.

She met his eyes again and continued talking. "I knew that I still had support... Some of these women... are made to feel they have nothing, and no one to turn to. He tried to make me feel that way."

"Jack was a monster." Chuck muttered, hating his uncle all the more when he thought of the hell he had put Harry, but mostly Blair through all those years ago. A hell that was still remembered by Blair.

She shook her head slightly. "No... not a monster. A man. They're all just men." Blair hated that term, "Monster". It was used to distance society from the very real issue of male violence towards women. By calling the perpetrators monsters it made them seem less human, that the issue was degendered, when that was far from the case.

Blair had gotten out and she'd gotten her son out, but there was a hurt part of her that she had hidden away. Through her work with these women, Blair was also healing that part of herself that had been torn and which she had buried and ignored for so long.

She rolled onto her side with a smile so warm it made his gut turn molten. "Jack and these men who do this... they're the bad ones. But there are so many good men out there... Men like you..."

Chuck shook his head, after all these years still sometimes unbelieving that he was and was seen as a good man.

She touched his jaw and nodded. "You are. Chuck Bass, you are a good man. And together we are raising two more good men. It makes me believe that things won't always be the way they have been... the way they are..."

She'd leaned up and kissed him then and he'd lost his train of thought.

Finishing with his cufflinks he continued to look at her, ever proud of her work, but lately growing... concerned for her health. She'd always loved her sleep, but lately she seemed tired even after what he thought was a goodnight's sleep. Liking to keep all his parts attached, he didn't mention the dark circles that appeared more often under her eyes and were resistant to even the most high-end coverup. In moments when she didn't think he was looking he'd catch the weariness creep across her face and body. She was tired all the time.

He slipped out of their rooms hoping the extra sleep would be just what she needed. He made a mental note to have his assistant remind him to call and wake her by 10am. Blair had taken a day off in order to go to the doctor with Serena, and Chuck had already called the doctor and seen to it that Blair would be casually asked, since she was there, if she would like to see the doctor as well. Chuck knew he'd never get her to admit she was feeling poorly enough to actually make an appointment to see their doctor, but he was aiming for her being coerced into it by apparent happenstance.

With Blair sleeping in, it left it to him to ensure their children actually made it to school this morning. Never an easy task when it was two against two, but Chuck was up for the challenge of two against one.

In the hall he walked to Harry's room first, tapped on the door and actually waited to hear his son call enter. Harry was fifteen now and had made a rather convincing argument for boundaries a while ago that had brought about his parents knocking. Hearing his son's voice call him in, Chuck opened the door and was not surprised to find Harry in front of his computer at this time of the morning.

"Morning, Father." Harry nodded, his dark hair already set and kept perfect by a dab of sculpting cream.

"Harry." Chuck addressed the girl on the screen. "Violet."

"Hello, Mr. Bass." Violet said in the overly nice voice she always used with Chuck, as if hoping she could one day win him over.

Chuck nodded and then looked at Harry. "Five more minutes."

Harry rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Violet and Harry had happily dated for over a year before "The Great Tragedy" had happened. Violet's father had decided he needed a change and signed up for Doctors Without Boarders. Chuck had overheard Violet refer to it as Doctors Without Daughters, because along with his career change he'd also enrolled Violet in an all girls boarding school outside of London. Chuck still cringed at the overwrought, teenage angst that had taken over his household with the news that Harry and Violet were going to be separated.

At first Harry had begged his parents to let Violet stay with them. Her whole life was here, and it wasn't fair or healthy. When they'd sat down to discuss it, Blair had already made her yes vote clear. She liked Violet, they could adjust. Plus she liked the idea of having a girl around. Chuck had been on the fence. He wasn't a fan of sending children away and thus hated boarding schools. He'd been threatened with them many times in his own childhood and so they left a bad taste in his mouth. He was a firm believer that if you were a parent, you raised them, not some school where you didn't see them for months at a time. What kept him unsure was that... he liked the family the way it was now, and especially the times when it was just the four of them. Violet would change the dynamic. Surprisingly Bart had been a yes as well. Violet's leaving was hurting Harry, Bart hated anything that hurt Harry, so Bart reluctantly voted that Violet could live with them.

In the end it was moot. Violet's father insisted she be sent anyway. They had family in the UK that could keep an eye on the girl since he felt she ran too wild in Manhattan, and he felt that was the place for her. So two years ago Violet had left. The couple had vowed to stay together despite the distance, but that hadn't lasted more than a few months. The young couple had broken up but remained very good friends. After so long in a monogamous, and quite innocent relationship given that Violet had made it clear that she wasn't ready... and how Harry had seemed content to wait for her to be, Blair and even Chuck had assumed he'd find another long term relationship to grow with. Given his devotion and loyalty to Violet, they had assumed that Harry had taken after his mother, the romantic's, side. Within weeks of the breakup they realized how wrong they were. Chuck suddenly vividly remembered telling Nate "I'm single now. This is who I am." And it would seem who his son was as well. Harry had game, he was a Bass after all. As Chuck had always said, a couple of billion dollars went a long way, but Harry, like his father, did have a natural self-assuredness, especially when it came to his own appeal, that drew girls to him.

That being said, while he saw a variety of girls, and tried a variety of things, each of which involved a long conversation with his father, all of which left Chuck needing a stiff drink at how similar their sexual curiosity had been as the same ages, Harry had remained relatively pure... until about a month ago. He'd gone to a party several weeks ago with a group of friends. While his friends had had no curfew, Harold Bass most certainly had, and he arrived right on the dot of his 1am curfew. Yes, he had a curfew, but his parents were still Blair and Chuck.

It was those same parents who had been curled together on the couch as they watched To Kill A Mocking Bird and waited for their son to come home safely that night. Their son, ever jovial, had had an extra skip in his step as he jumped off the elevator.

"Good evening, Parents!" He smiled wildly at them.

Blair cast I side glance at Chuck. Chuck cast a side glance at Blair.

"I take it you had a good night?" Blair asked dryly.

"Only the best night ever... so far." He had a crooked cocky grin on his face, and far too much bravado in his saunter as he headed up to bed.

Blair leaned forward and started the film again. For a few moments they were silent as the black and white images floated across the screen. Finally Blair had to make it clear.

"You owe me two weeks in the Maldives..." Blair reminded him.

"If he had just held off until his birthday... You would have looked lovely in Reykjavik..." Chuck commented as he contemplated their next parents only escape.

"The cold would have chapped my skin. I look better sun kissed and you know it. Don't be a sore loser... or I'll have to punish you later."

Chuck had pouted for a few extra hours to ensure her displeasure.

So while Harry had most definitely moved on from a romantic relationship with Violet, their friendship had remained. Their every other morning Skype sessions continued to this day. Much to a certain other Bass' disgust.

Speaking of the youngest Bass, Chuck walked to Bart's door. He paused for a minute and looked skyward. He could swear he heard his father laughing. Opening the door to the pitch black room, Chuck left it ajar as he made his way to the bed. Bart hated people touching his things so he had banned the servants from coming into his room. Given the hoarding tendencies his mother declared him to be exibiting, the floor of his room was generally a minefield of comics, shoes, books, every birthday and Christmas card he'd ever been give, and decks of playing cards he collected from all over the world.

Blair insisted it be throughly cleaned at least twice a month, but somehow with sheer force of will Bart kept them out... and kept Blair happy by... cleaning his own room. All the other Basses had nose crinkling reactions to just the idea. Bart had even had Dorota teach him how to do his laundry and wash his own sheets.

Chuck walked over to Bart's docked iPod and started his son's morning playlist. The first song? Feist's 1, 2, 3, 4. His preoccupation with all thing Canadian would seem to be stretching into a life long admiration. They had tickets to Michael Buble next week, as well as season tickets to the Rangers. Bart rooted for the Leafs. As for Feist, if Bart didn't wakeup to that song... it made for a long morning. It was also the only thing he wanted to hear. He didn't want to be wished a good morning. He didn't want his name said. He didn't even seem to appreciate breathing but tolerated it as a necessity of life, but did so grudgingly.

Chuck went over to the bed and looked down at the near perfect, circular lump in the centre that he knew to be his ten year old son. What he didn't know was which end was up. Bart slept like a Tasmanian Devil. Flipping, flopping and spinning, never awake enough to care who he took out. Chuck reached down to shake what he assumed was his son's shoulder under the covers. The bump moved. Chuck shook it again. There was a heaving sigh as the bump stretched out, arms and legs now jutting out from various swaths of blanket. A second later the whole thing was thrown off. Chuck's eyes rolled. His son was Bassnaked.

A few months ago the power had gone out in their country home during a heat wave. Leaving air conditioning a beloved memory. The house had been sweltering during the day and had barely cooled off at night. In order to try to stay cool Bart had slept naked for the first time in his life. He had taken to it like a fish to water. The next morning he had walked downstairs, and under the contemplative eye of his parents had thrown out every pair of pajamas he owned, and had slept buck naked every night since.

Bart pushed himself up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He scratched his head. Shook it twice and then got up and stumbled to the bathroom. His father watched the pasty, slightly scrawny boy go, and once again addressed the heavens. "I refuse to believe my behaviour could have possibly been odder than this..."

With everyone being where they should be at this moment, Chuck felt a sense of content that he hadn't expected to feel. His family never bored him. He had never expected to love so much and be so loved in return. He had to say, in this moment... he was perfectly happy, as were they, and he couldn't imagine ever wanting anything to change.

TahDAH! So this was the kick off of the next storyline. As you saw there was another time-jump, but I won't be doing big ones again for a few chapters. I tried to give you a heads up as to where everyone was... except for Chuck. In my head he thinks about his family more than he thinks about himself at this point, but there'll be a big Blair focus in the next chapter so we'll have her reflections on her enormously stubborn pain in the ass.

Okay, so this is my first Christmas in fifteen years where I haven't spent it with my family. We love Christmas. We do it 150%. I miss it more than I even thought I would. On the plus side I've been taken in on Sunday afternoon, so that's wonderful. I was about to do something insane like watch Love Actually and While You Were Sleeping on Sunday all by myself and cry my eyes out. I will however have time on my hands so there may be some updates here and there. Just in case I don't write anything else, I just wanted to wish everyone who celebrates Christmas... Merry Christmas! To my Jewish readers... Happy Chanukah! To my Muslim readers (I know I'm late!)... Enjoy Eid! To my African American/Canadian readers... Joyous Kwanzaa! To my atheists... have a nice weekend! To everyone Happy Holidays!

Oh, and I know many of you are busy, so don't worry about reviews. If you have time, I would totally love them, but if you don't it's cool! And if you don't have time to read this till January that's cool too. It will be waiting for you. But know that both Harry and Bart will be pissed off at you.


	41. Chapter 41

Hello! I have a feeling you all are going to start thinking I'm pathetic soon, because I'm updating so much. I have to admit... kind of a bummer of a Christmas, but I've vowed to be home for it next year. I am going to start saving for it now. I LOVE Christmas and I missed being with everyone, decorating, eating... SO much! My plan is set. But first... I'm getting ready for NYE. Sparkly dress. That is my big criteria for the night so far... and I'm thinking red nails and a really red lip. The only problem is that I am pasty to the extreme. I have to be careful with red. Anyhoo... Here we go.

Three hours later Blair's phone rang. It rang and it rang. It went to voicemail and then it rang again. One soft, perfectly manicured hand reached out to snatch the phone and pull it under the blankets with her.

"Blair Waldorf." She managed to get out, her mind still fuzzy with sleep.

"Bass." A stern voice corrected.

"Hmm?" She smiled at hearing his voice and the slight disgruntlement that was evident, but she didn't open her eyes. She was in a teasing mood.

"Bass. You're Blair Bass."

"Waldorf-Bass." She sighed, still smiling. She was actually feeling well rested at the moment. It was a novel experience of late.

"That's not what it says on your passport..."

"Because you bribed the clerk to drop the Waldorf when I got it renewed." She reminded him with faux sensor.

Feeling warm and well rested... his voice was also making her feel something else. "Come back to bed..." Her husky voice reached through the phone line and right to his groin.

He cleared his throat, and she licked her lower lip, knowing he was probably shifting in his seat down at the dining room table.

"I would love to, kitten... but I'm already at the office..."

She sat up sharply, shoving the covers off her face but getting lost in a cloud of, now professionally darkened, hair. "What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock."

"You ass." She condemned.

"You needed your rest."

"You controlling ass." She clarified.

She could hear him smiling on the other end of the phone. "I changed your breakfast with Serena to a lunch. Now, before you chastise me, as you're dying to do... know that you'll be late for Serena's appointment if you don't get up and move that perfect little ass of yours to get ready."

"This isn't over." She told him firmly.

He actually chuckled outright at this. "It never is..."

Hanging up on him, she threw the covers away and climbed out of bed, padding to the bathroom she shook out her hair as she went. She showered, dried her hair, loosely curled it, and dressed. As she was finishing the touches on her makeup, she tilted her face at different angles. Not bad, she thought. She had turned... an undisclosed age this past fall. While she had a few laugh lines around her eyes, her face and skin were holding up fairly well. A lifetime of proper exfoliation and moisturizing was paying off. She glanced down at her chest, and cringed slightly. She'd wanted to get a lift last year, before her undisclosed birthday, and she'd even made an appointment with one of the best plastic surgeons in Manhattan, but then her husband had had a near hissy fit when he'd found out. Looking down now, she had to shrug... Maybe he'd been right on that one. They didn't seem so bad at the moment. Fuller than they'd looked in a couple of years, so much so that her husband had even had to ask if she'd been up to anything with them. She'd slapped him and his hands away.

She'd gone without botox at his request, because he'd always loved the beautiful expressiveness of her face. She'd conceded, but told him he didn't understand. Men, especially him, gained a greater rugged handsomeness as he aged. He didn't even colour the silver that had started to brush at his temples. Women's beauty faded, and they had to chase it. He said that was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard.

She couldn't say that he was totally wrong. She did seem to be aging well. Better than most. So well that she chose to believe him when he told her that she was still the most beautiful, sexy and fuckable woman he'd ever met.

He did have his moments. Like last year where he'd thrown himself the biggest, most outlandish 40th birthday party New York had ever seen. Only a few knew it was actually his 39th. He'd done it for her. Even though she was six months older, he'd gone first into their 40s, so that she wouldn't have to. Chuck Bass was ever a romantic with her.

As had been arranged, Blair pulled up in her limo outside Serena's apartment to pick her up. Arthur had quickly come around and opened the door for her waddling friend.

"B!" Serena greeted after struggling to climb into the car

"I should have gotten here ten minutes early. It took you that long to get in." Blair teased.

Serena just laughed and ran a hand over her swollen belly. After years of trying to find Mr. Right... Serena had found him right where Blair had always known he'd be. Brooklyn. Not wanting to wait, after seeming to have waited so long for one or the other to be ready, Serena and Dan had gotten married last year and now had a baby on the way. One that would be here in only four months.

Today, Dan was on a short book tour, so Blair had happily volunteered to go with Serena to her doctor's appointment.

"Ready?" Blair asked with a smile and gently reached out a hand and ran it over her future niece or nephew.

"Yes!"

"S, I'm so happy for you... even if it's rather Southern that you're having a baby with your brother..." She said drying for the millionth time.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Step brother."

"Riiiiiggght." Blair rolled her eyes.

Serena just laughed, and then they fell into easy conversation all the way to the appointment. They were waiting for the doctor, Serena up in the stirrups, when they fell into a comfortable silence. In the quiet moments, Blair felt the growingly familiar tiredness creep into her. She rested her head on her hand. Serena looked over at her sleepy friend with slight concern.

"B? Are you okay?"

Blair immediately sat up straight. "I'm fine."

"You look tired." S said with concern.

"You look plump." Blair fired back. "And you sound like Chuck. DId my husband put those words in your mouth?"

"No. My care for my kind and gentle friend did." Serena mocked.

Blair just shrugged, and was spared having to answer as the doctor came in. And then there was no joking or kidding. There was just giddy joy as they watched the baby moved across the screen. The doctor pronounced both mother and child were healthy and strong.

As Serena was moving to climb down, Blair started to gather her clothes for her, but raised a brow as the doctor made no move to leave, but shifted on her feet, clearing her throat.

"Mrs. Bass?"

"Ms. Waldorf-Bass." Blair corrected, mentally noting that the doctor had just tipped Chuck's hand. This, and the used of only her married name, had her husband's signature written all over it. Ass.

"Ms. Waldorf-Bass... I was just thinking that you perhaps looked... a tad peeked... I have some time right now... I could see you if you'd like?"

Serena wouldn't meet Blair's eyes and seemed to have her head half shoved down into her handbag.

Blair looked at the Doctor with a raised brow. "The most sought after OB/GYN in Manhattan has some free time?"

She looked over at a Serena who was busily dressing. "He really is a pain in the ass when he wants to be..."

She'd known this was coming, but had played at ignorance. She wasn't ready to let them know her thoughts. She wasn't sure if she was ready herself. Little did any of them know that this was nearly the exact specialist she was looking for. Now she could see her without raising any suspicion or questions. Telling Serena she'd leave her to dress in the exam room, Blair and the Doctor went into her office.

"Now, Ms. Waldorf-Bass-"

"Let's just cut right to the chase, shall we?"

Dr. Lowe swallowed. The Bass' reputation was legend in New York and she nodded to the will of the one in front of her.

"I'm allowing this little... subterfuge, my husband has orchestrated for one reason and one reason only. However, I do expect a degree of doctor/patient confidentiality, so I really must know if you can keep your trap shut no matter what my husband may bribe or threaten you with?"

"I shall be the utmost of discretion." Dr. Lowe promised sincerely.

"Excellent." Blair nodded and for the first time since she walked into the building, she hesitated. Clearing her throat she said as a matter of fact. "I believe I've started menopause."

The Doctor looked confused. "But surely you're too young..."

"Thank you." Blair said in a clipped tone. "But my mother started young, as did my grandmother, so this isn't entirely unexpected. I also lead a high stress lifestyle and I've read that that could also be a factor."

"Alright..." Dr. Lowe wrote some notes in a file she'd opened for Blair. "And what makes you-"

"My period has been sporadic for several months now, and hasn't arrived at all in the past few cycles. I'm tired a great deal, no matter how much rest I get. And I just feel... that something is off. I'd like you to recommend a specialist to jack me on so many hormones my body will think we're fourteen again."

The Doctor cleared her throat again. "Okay... Why don't we just run some tests to confirm your diagnosis?"

"If you must." Blair sighed thinking this was a pointless waste of time.

After a few tests and submitting some blood work, Blair was sitting in Dr. Lowe's office, texting as she waited, when Serena stuck her head in.

"Is the coast clear?" Serena teased.

"Come on in, Judas." Blair said snidely, knowing that Serena had been in on getting Blair to see the Doctor along with Chuck.

"We're just worried about you, B." Serena said as she sank slowly into the plush chair beside her friend's.

"You're just lucky you're with child... and that I am so looking forward to spoiling said child."

Serena smiled. "It has been a while since we've had a baby running around the family..."

"I can't believe Eric's youngest is almost five..." Blair mused thinking of her nephew, Baxter."

"I can't believe the Bass boys are fifteen and ten..." Serena's eyes twinkled as she looked over at Blair. "And I can't believe you two never had another one."

"I believe Chuck and I have more than fulfilled our quota towards humanity."

"So... you never think about it? Another little baby Bass to rule the world?" Serena teased. She'd always thought they'd have babies together. So had Blair. Blair held S entirely responsible for that not being the case.

Blair softened for a moment. "I don't know... I was sure I was done after Bart..." She cleared her throat to ward off the tiny lump that had grown there. She knew that with what news was going to be confirmed today, any baby would just have to stay a distance fond whisper of a dream. "Besides, the way Harry seems to be getting around I'll be a grandmother before he's 20."

They both chuckled at that one, but as their laughter faded away Serena reached out and took Blair's hand, squeezing it tight.

Blair shook her head. "I'm being foolish. You're making me foolish."

"How?"

"For thinking about things that will never be." Blair looked at Serena and smiled, despite a slight sheen to her eyes. "I've started menopause. We'll never be mommies together..."

For some reason, as if on a rush of hormones... both women burst into tears. This however, they both found hysterical, which brought on huge fits of laughter. Dr. Lowe walked back in to witness the the doubled over best friends, and asked if she should come back later. The women waved the idea away and sat up straighter, both pulling out compacts to check their makeup.

Dr. Lowe looked down at her chart and then up at Blair as she took her seat behind her desk. "Ms. Waldorf-Bass... perhaps it would be best if we spoke alone."

Blair shook her head. "Whatever you have to say you can say in front of my best friend."

Blair held out her hand and Serena met her half way. They both steeled themselves for the confirmation of this new phase of life, each of them feeling united yet apart. Serena in full fertile mode, and Blair's coming to its end. Their breath held.

The doctor's next words knocked said breaths right out of them.

"You're pregnant."

TahDAH! I couldn't not do it! Not to you and not to them! I actually always planned on the third. I just wanted it to be a bit of a "last drop" baby. I won't even mess with you. You know what's coming. Look out Bass Boys. There's a new sheriff on the way.


	42. Chapter 42

Hello! Happy New Year! This is my first posting in 2012! Okay, so... while I an not hungover (I have weird genetics that seem to resist hangover symptoms no matter how much I drink), I am however tired. And my ass is sore for reasons that I shall not trouble you with... however I will say that I have discovered that getting whipped hurts. I could never be into S & M. I am not into pain. Did I just over share? Aren't you all used to it by now? I don't tell you guys everything. I didn't tell you when my toenail fell off. Oops. Forget that last part. Here we go...

"Blair... Blair... Blair..."

Her minds swam in darkness. It closed around her and sealed her in, but the repeated calling of her name was forcing the heavy curtains of blackness away and shapes were beginning to swim and appear in front of her. The first image to come into focus was Serena's very worried face directly above her... and a mane of overly processed blonde hair hitting bating at her nose.

It was then that Blair Waldorf-Bass realized... she was laying on the floor. Like a dog... or a homeless person. Her foggy mind didn't know which was worse at the moment.

"Ugh!" She groaned and started to try to scramble up. A moment of lightheadedness had her back on her knees, but at least this time she folded over the chair next to her and not in a total heap on a questionably cleaned carpet.

A very ungainly Serena crouched at her side and urged her in a worried tone. "B, maybe don't try to get up for a moment? The doctor went to get you some water. Just rest."

Taking a queue from that, Blair rested her rioting head on her folded arms and she managed to croak out a question.

"What happened?"

"You fainted..." Serena said as she rubbed her friend's back in soothing circles. "... Do you happen to remember why..."

It all came slamming back to her in that moment, but instead of light fading from her eyes again, a fire snapped to life behind them.

"I'm going to kill him!" Blair half yelled as she shoved herself up on her feet and stumble to right rolling self. A second later she was rushing towards the door with a sure, quick step.

Serena couldn't grab her and couldn't get up fast enough to try again. "B!" Serena yelled, but new it had fallen of deaf ears. "Oh, boy." Then she glanced down at the baby in her belly. "Or girl. You can be whatever you want..."

Chuck sat at his desk, as he listened to several of his international subordinates, and nodded as they presented conflicting proposals... all of which Chuck hated.

After hearing all he could stomach, he interrupted them with a firm voice and the air of command. "I have built up the Bass name on my father's legacy and grown its integrity in that time. It was hard fought for... A new legacy that my sons can be proud of. And I will not see the integrity of our name tarnished now."

The doors of his office blew open as if dynamite had blown them nearly off their hinges.

"Bass! You manipulative, lying psychopath! I curse you and a pox on your loins!"

Chuck had frozen in his seat at the tumultuous arrival of his wife. He swiveled in his seat and addressed the rather stunned men and women who were displayed on his screen. "If you all will excuse me... I'll have to get back to you."

Ending the connection he slid back in his large leather chair as he contemplated his other half as she furiously paced, talking to herself under her breath in a pitch he couldn't hear.

"I take it you're upset with me..." He asked innocently. He'd been ready for this temper. She hated being coerced, but the doctor's appointment had been for her own good... and also whether she liked it or not, he was too invested in his love for her not to worry and take action.

She paused for a moment, stomped her foot and fixed him with a laser gaze. "You could say that." Some of her anger diminished as her level of perplexity came through. She looked at him and threw her hands in the air. "What were you thinking?"

He rested a finger against his temple and leaned against it. "I was thinking you'd been run down... that you needed to be taken care of."

"And you thought that was the way to _'take care'_ of me?" She gasped.

"It seemed like it was for the best..." He said truthfully and with a shrug.

"... For the best?" She stuttered at his answer. "If you were having these feelings... why didn't you come to me? Talk to me before you just... you just went ahead... and... did it!"

He raised a brow. "Look... it took what? Half an hour? Twenty minutes? I really don't see what the great to do is for..."

"CHUCK! How could you?" She stomped her feet twice then before flopping into a nearby chair. She couldn't believe he could be so blasé about this.

"Get over it. It's done." He said firmly, ready to have her committed for this kind of over reaction to his arrangement of a doctor's appointment. It actually only assured him that he had made the right decision. When she was this high-strung it meant it was serious. "You may not like it Blair, but I'm always going to want to take care of you, just like you'll always want to take care of me."

She was having slight trouble catching her breath or maybe this was what an aneurism felt like, but the caring note in his voice caught her attention. Dazed she shook her head, trying to clear it. She knew he loved her, but what the hell had the idiot been thinking? Confused as hell, she managed to murmur incredulously. "You really thought getting me pregnant would be the best way to take care of me?"

Chuck could be a very still man. He could spend hours, unmoving. Contemplating. Watching and noting the world going on around him. He had never been more still than he was in that moment.

"I did what... You're what." He asked almost too calmly.

"Pregnant." She clarified, thinking he just liked to hear that he had won because she had assumed this pregnancy had been his plan all along. "I just don't understand... why you wouldn't talk to me about this... why you'd just go ahead and do it... reverse it... Explain yourself." Her voice had tightened at the end.

"Let's recap..." He moved to lean his elbows on his desk. His hands clenched. He was still deadly still. "So you are..."

"Pregnant." She said petulantly, her arms folded across her chest.

His jaw twitched. "Care to tell me how you got that way..."

She'd been so caught up in her own thoughts and feelings that she hadn't noticed his. She did now. Anger with an edge of rage simmered out of him in waves, slapping her across the face with its toxins. She also immediately grasped the insinuation in his voice. "Just what are you asking me, Bass?"

"I'm asking... since I vividly recall an extremely painful procedure that ended the life of my herculean sperm... How. Are. You. Pregnant?" His voice was hard and accusing.

"Are you kidding me?" She gasped as her hand flew to her chest.

"Well, since I've been fixed... forgive me for my curiosity but... I really must know... who is the father of your baby?"

"YOU ASS!" She grabbed a small stone inukshuk that had been a gift from Bart for Chuck's last birthday, and hurled it at him.

Given her lack of accuracy it hit the wall, well clear of his indignant body.

"I take it this means you refute my assumptions?" He said calmly. Now that the initial shock had worn off he knew in his bones that she hadn't been with anyone else.

She didn't dignify that with a response. They both knew no one had gotten up in her business but him in well over a decade.

He begrudgingly mumbled an, "My apologies for momentarily questioning your fidelity..."

"Accepted." She said, but didn't offer up an apology for her accusation that he had gone behind her back and reversed his vasectomy, even though it was clear that he was as surprised by her pregnancy as she was.

As they sat there and the anger evaporated, the actual news of what had just transpired filtered into both of them.

"So you're..."

"Apparently..." She said vaguely. "So you didn't..."

"Reverse anything?"

"Yes?"

"No."

"Then how..."

"What did the doctor say?"

"That I'm pregnant."

"And..." He asked for expansion.

"That seemed like the most pertinent information at the time..."

"What else did the doctor say?"

"Nothing." She hedged, knowing he was going to go all Chuck Bass on her in a minute.

"Nothing?" Chuck was surprised. He had a million questions.

"After the word 'pregnant' the fainting pretty much cut short the question and answer portion of the appointment." She said sarcastically.

His eyes narrowed on the word she knew he would fixate on. "You fainted?"

She could feel his, in what she felt was over-protective concern, take over and she tried to diminish it for what it was. "It was nothing. I was barely out."

"But you fainted?" He wanted her admission.

"Fine! Yes, I fainted." She snapped.

He stood up, moving like lightening around his desk and with gently yet firm hands lifted her to her feet. "Let's go, Waldorf."

She didn't even have to ask where. His hand was pressed gently against the small of her back as he guided them out of his office, and she reminded him off hand. "Waldorf-Bass."

He raised a suspicious eye at her, but she could hear the teasing lilt to his tone. "We'll see..."

She pinched his arm and the elevator doors slid shut on his harsh gasp of pain.

Three hours later the stunned couple were sitting in Dr. Lowe's office again. She'd finished speaking five minutes ago, but neither wife nor husband seemed to be capable of speech. The news was sinking further in so as not to even be news anymore... but reality. Dr. Lowe, while at first trying to adhere to some form of doctor patient confidentiality had tried to remain protective of Blair... given that she'd just learned that Mr. Bass had had a vasectomy a decade ago, and she'd jumped to the conclusion that there was clearly something untoward going on with Ms. Waldorf-Bass. However, both individuals had shot that down. They were very clear. If Blair was pregnant, it was Chuck who had somehow gotten her that way. Dr. Lowe had immediately requested Chuck's' medical records from their personal family doctor, and upon review, she suggested, while extremely rare... Chuck Bass seemed to be in the 1% who may have experienced a recanalization. Chuck had smirked. Blair had rolled her eyes. Of course he was. To be sure, Chuck had submitted a sample to the doctor's lab, and sure enough, he'd comeback with a sperm count. It wasn't high, but it was more than zero.

Dr. Lowe had started talking about Blair's maternal health... as well as the increased risk factors for someone of her age having a baby. Blair shut her eyes and swore internally. She'd known the risks for a later in life pregnancy, because she'd been at Serena's side since the beginning. Everyone had kept the exact facts from Chuck, knowing his propensity to worry, but it was a hundred times worse knowing that it was his wife who was now in line for those risks.

Chuck's face had fallen white, and he'd bit out commands. They went over her blood work and her physical results from earlier, all of which had been fine. Then they were in the exam room, and Blair was laying across the table, her still slim belly exposed, as the doctor spread the gel across her and moved the wand over her abdomen. Blair's hand was clenched tightly in Chuck's. He didn't even care that her rings bit into his flesh. Neither Bass moved... but then, on the monitor... the youngest Bass fluttered. The sound of its heartbeat filled the room. Filled its parents hearts. Filled in a space that they hadn't even known was empty.

Blair's eyes were filled with tears when she finally managed to rip her eyes away from the screen and sought Chuck's. His were locked to the monitor still, but he tore them away when he felt her eyes on him. He blinked rapidly at the tide behind his own, and their gazes wrapped around each other and became one.

"That's our baby." He said whispered.

"That's our baby." She confirmed reverently.

TahDAH! Okay, so I am not a doctor. I am also not a fic writer who is big into research. I googled a bit about vasectomies, but basically I'm going with... Chuck Bass is so virile... that the tube grew back. Yes, yes, it is EXTREMELY rare... but not impossible. Come one beautiful people! You know many of you wanted another baby Bass... Work with me!

Did you all do resolutions? I do... loose goals for myself. One of my big ones is to finish the book I've been working/floating on for the past couple of years. I need to focus. Feel free to nag. I promise I won't neglect my fic writing duties.


	43. Chapter 43

Hello! Okay, first off I love you all, you funny little twisted group. I thought it would take some convincing but you were all just right on board with basically "Oh, yeah. If a tube could grow back... Chuck Bass' tube could grown back!" On a second note, I have good news and bad news... but mostly good? I went home to Toronto and brought Gloria. I, for some reason, can't access my best friend's wireless network. This means I can't post. If you're reading this it is because I have come home and... tahdah! Postage. If I've done as I've planned... I'll have a few things that I wrote over the week I was gone to post for you all. So the gist is... good news I've updated, bad news is I haven't been able to post, and finally good news because if you're reading this I have access again and am posting the stuff I've written during the time I couldn't hit up my favourite sites. Oh, and I'm sure after a week of no posting there were a couple of places that might have worried I was dead. Nope. Still here! Here we go...

They hadn't wanted to go home. Right now they had a secret just between the two of them... and Dr. Lowe and Serena, but they'd been sworn to secrecy. They wanted some time to keep it between them... to feel whatever they wanted to feel without a thought to anyone else. So, when they'd left the doctor's they'd ridden in their limo, silently round and round till they admitted that they weren't anxious to go home to their first and second born. They knew their sons would see on their faces that they had a secret, and once again, they weren't eager to share their news yet.

Chuck called ahead to the Palace and booked a suite. She walked ahead of him across the lobby floor, and had the oddest urge to shield her, carry her... cocoon her away to keep her safe. He settled for a hand on the small of her back as they made their way up to the suite. By the time they'd gotten through the door, Blair was exhausted, and she did little more than kick off her shoes before dragging the covers back on the bed and climbing in. She was asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.

Chuck's gaze was still locked on her as he took the time to take off his suit jacket, tie, and shoes before crawling in beside her. Shock had given way to fatigue and now he too craved sleep, and he tucked himself around her and fell asleep as well.

A couple of hours later he awoke to Blair stirring in his arms. He waited as she sighed and stretched, and rolled over to face him with still sleepy motions. He'd kept his arms lax as she'd turned but know he pulled her closer and shifted his legs to better intertwine with his. After all these years their bodies more than just knew how to fit together. It was like they'd been made as one and could now easily always mold back into connection. Blair settled her face close to Chuck's and her eyes opened on his. For long moments they just gazed at each other, saying nothing. He leaned a breath closer and kissed her cheek, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips. Her hands slinked up to grasp his jaw, rubbing it is soothing motions.

"We're having another baby...?" Blair said for the millionth time.

"We're having another baby..." Chuck responded. They'd traded off the asking and the telling of the truth several times by this point. They'd yet to stop needing to ask and hear it.

Blair sat up quickly, pulling from a confused Chuck's arms, and started frantically pulling at her clothes. Chuck was ever eager to help her out of her clothes, and jumped in to assist her. When the frenzy subsided Blair sat naked on the bed, her hands on her slim belly, and they stared at the place where their child grew.

Blair burst into tears. "We're too old!"

Chuck looked at her like she was nuts, but swept in to assure her. He caught her face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "We're not. We're well aged and experienced parents."

"I'm going to get fat again."

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Waldorf, when have I ever not found you sexy?"

"That's not the 'no, Blair you've never been fat' answer I was looking for." Her eyes narrowed on him. "That was a 'I'd still do you' answer, and trust me, Bass, I've noted the difference."

He chuckled and then sobered as she reached out and pulled a lock of his hair. Hard.

"I apologize." He said quickly. "... and you've never been fat. But please understand... I will always want to do you."

"I'm flattered." Blair said dryly, trying not to laugh. Then reality his again and her eyes swam.

She shook her head, and Chuck gently nudged her down on the bed. He pushed her hands away and replaced them with his own on her belly. He read her well and already knew the answer, but wanted to make sure, wanted to know that he cared what she thought too, so he asked.

"Do you want this baby?"

She didn't even pause. "Yes. I'm just..."

Chuck had known but it was still a relief to hear they were on the same page. "Scared?"

"Out of my mind." She confirmed.

He nodded and shifted down her body so his face hovered near her stomach. He started to leave soft kisses across the skin of her belly, and it caused goose flesh to run over her body. He kissed his way back up her body to her lips, at which point both were flushed and wanting more. Blair's hands moved to Chuck's belt buckle, hurrying him out of his clothes and into her.

Later they lay sweaty and breathing heavily, side by side on their backs, cooling in the hotel's filtered air, and were silent again.

"After this one..." Blair led out of the silence.

"Yes..." He asked.

"I'm getting a breast lift." She told him.

"No." He set his jaw stubbornly.

"Yes."

"No. I told you, I handle them more than you and I like them the way they are."

"I'm not in my twenties anymore. After nursing this one they'll be at my knees. Have fun playing with them then. Maybe while you're down there you can buckle my shoes?" She commented dryly.

Chuck shook his head. "Mine."

"So possessive..." She shook her head.

He cracked a smile even though he knew she hadn't conceded her argument. "Speaking of possessive..."

"Shhh..." Blair said quickly. "I need happy thoughts right now."

Chuck nodded and went back to contemplating the ceiling. "You'll get to be mommy friends with Serena. You two have been planning that since before you knew where babies came from."

"That's true." Blair smiled and then her mouth quirked. "I was however looking forward to being thin as she got bigger and bigger..."

"I'll spike her food with calories." Chuck promised.

"Such a romantic..." Blair smiled. "It would be nice if we both had girls..."

He chuckled. "Sorry, Waldorf. Basses make boys... In several generations there's never been a female Bass born."

"I know, believe me I know." Blair grumbled having looked that up several times. She'd be lying if she said it hadn't been a factor in her wanting to try for a girl earlier in their lives. She loved her boys, and been completely happy with them, but she hadn't really seen the point of trying to get pregnant just to have a girl. With the Bass sperm history and her luck... she would have ended up with a half dozen Bass Boys running around her house and a city that would have been in ruins by the time they'd all reached adulthood. Two alone seemed enough to take the town down on some days, so she could only hope that a 15 and 10 year age gap would be enough to stem the tide.

Subconsciously Blair's hand began rubbing soothing circles on her stomach. "And this pregnancy has clearly rendered me an idiot."

Chuck raised a brow and rolled onto his side to look at her profile. "How so?"

"Menopause? I've been tired lately. I've missed my period more than once-"

"Your moods have been rather... mercurial..." He flinched as she whacked him in the shoulder. "I guess I won't bring up any changes to your breasts again?"

"Lets stop talking about my breasts altogether, shall we?"

"They're a favourite topic of mine... but very well..."

Silence came again.

"I had wine!" Blair burst out, remembering the hand full of occasions where she'd had a glass of wine. "He'll have FAS and kill us in our sleep when he's ten!

"Not that much." Chuck assured her. He was smart enough to refrain from reminding her that she hardly ever touched the stuff because as time went on it didn't sit well with her anymore. A foolish man would say it was a sign of getting old. Instead he teased her. "And we'll keep a deadbolt on our door."

"Keep laughing, Bass." Blair cocked her head to the side like she knew it all. "We'll see who's laughing when you wake up to my bloodied body next to you in bed, a minute before he gets you as well."

He frown and she smiled.

"We don't have much time... to prepare..." She said quietly as she got back on topic.

"We have a little over six months."

"Maybe." She said stubbornly since the doctor had said she was about ten weeks along but could go earlier or later. Blair chose to focus on the earlier.

"I have to design the nursery... hire people... buy... everything..."

"You could design in your sleep. We'll hire the best like we always do. And I've never found shopping to be a hardship for you."

"True."

Blair's stomach growled and Chuck ordered supper for them. They took time to shower and then ate in thick white robes, cross legged across from each other on the bed. When they were done, Chuck cleared the dishes onto the cart and then pushed it out into the hall. Blair lay back down on the bed and he came back to lie next to her. Outside their hotel windows, night had claimed Manhattan, but the electric drive of the city kept the room practically lit and kept shadows dancing.

"Is it time to talk about them?" Blair asked, knowing it was.

"Them..." Chuck agreed. "Our precious little Mama's boys..."

"Please." Blair scoffed. "Our sons are equal opportunity children."

"Very well." Chuck smiled. His boys didn't seem to play favourites, and Chuck was glad and happy of his relationship with them... but he loved how much they loved their mother. While he'd craved his father's approval, he always felt that he'd have been an excellent Mama's boy... Eric had also been known to call him that when he showered attention and gifts on Lily, and he'd pretend to be affronted.

"Tell me they won't eat this one alive." Blair asked, half joking.

"We should be able to skirt that... but not without concessions." Chuck pointed out. "Bart will be easy. Summer camp in Muskoka and an on ice session with the Leafs should buy us at least a year... Harry will be-"

"Harry." Blair said pointedly.

"We may have to do it..." Chuck started.

"Never!" Blair gasped, knowing what was probably the one thing they could promise to ensure that the transition from two to three went smoothly.

"Flying lessons." Chuck reminded her of the one thing Harry had always asked for and the one thing he'd always been refused. Alright that wasn't quite true, but they'd never taken serious his many request to do away with Bart by any means necessary.

Blair shook her head rapidly. "Over my dead body."

"It will be his only negotiation demand."

"Well then he can have fun watching the JFK Jr. biographies every night for a month like the last time he asked." She said primly.

Chuck shrugged, he didn't like the idea of Harry learning to fly either but there were only a few years left where they could actually stop him so Chuck was trying to come to terms with the fact that it was highly likely that both he and his wife would be in fits for stretches where there eldest son was in the air and behind the wheel.

"Maybe this one will be normal?" Chuck mused.

"Harry's normal." Blair defended.

Chuck's head rolled over to his shoulder to look at her with a slightly narrowed gaze.

"Fine." Blair huffed. "But he's still surprisingly well adjusted for a 15 year old with a multi-billion dollar trust fund... and us as his parents."

"Point ceded."

She sat up on her knees and looked down at him. "They'll get over it."

"You think?"

"It's us against them." She nodded sounding sure.

"So... we tell them tonight?"

She looked at him like he'd just said he planned on donating their fortune to charity. "Have you gone senile? We'll tell them on the way to the hospital... if then."

Chuck smirked. "You'll crack."

"Oh, really?" She raised a brow. "Little wager?"

"Always."

"If I outlast you in keeping them in the dark... I get an extra veto right to the first name and sole decision on the middle name."

He smirked. "And I retain the same win rights in reverse?"

She nodded with a canary smile, feeling like she'd already won.

"Deal."

Much like they preferred, they sealed their deal not with a handshake, but with sex. After, panting and sweaty again, Chuck rolled them on the bed so she was carefully pinned beneath him.

"Let the games begin."

TahDAH! So I hope you all enjoyed that. I'm soon to be home, and so soon to be posting this. Are you a sleeping Princess? I'm a sleeping Princess. I have to have a certain kind of place to sleep or my back is DONE. My best friend's place is fine, but one night I stayed with my mom at a friend of her's place. She has two guest places. My mom and she were still talking when I turned in the other night, and I carefully climbed into... a pull out couch. From like 1973. It was about as soft as a hardwood floor and I was angled practically upside down. Not good. I climbed out after trying to sleep that way for about ten minutes and asked my mom to switch beds. I know. You're judging me. I asked my mom to take the crappy bed. In my defense the woman can sleep anywhere, while I have a sensitive system, and it's not like I traded THAT much up. The other bed was about as soft as a cardboard box on top of a hardwood floor.

... You're all still judging me right? I won't even bring up the time I slept on a single blow up mattress and she slept on the floor one night because my bed didn't arrive till the next day. Daughter of the year.


	44. Chapter 44

Hello! Do you know what's murder on my goal to lose a few pounds? I rent an basement apartment from an amazing family... one where I've become friends with them. One where the mom will text me and be like... I've made brownies, want one? Hells yes I want a brownie. It's like a magical apartment... with free wireless, satellite, laundry and snacks. Magical. Plus I'm like a ten minute walk to the ocean. Awesomsause. Oh, and I just nearly died. I was grabbing a bunch of stuff from the kitchen to take to my bed to open this document and I was trying to make a glass of crystal lite while holding my Kindle and the charger cord, all while having freshly moisturized feet in flip flops. Slippery. I shoved Guillaume (my Kindle) under my arm and put the cord in my mouth to hold... and while stirring began to realize I was poisoning myself. The cord was... awful! It suddenly tasted like a rat was currently dying and decaying in my mouth as the seconds went by. SO gross. Do not put Kindle cords in your mouth for any reason. Lesson learned. Here we go...

He was trying to kill her. That was the only conclusion Blair wanted to reach as she lay on the floor on their bathroom and waited for the nausea to stop rolling through her. It had been a week since they'd returned from their time in the Palace and had made their deal. In that time there was daily escalation of schemes to get the other one to reveal the imminent arrival of the youngest Bass to its future brothers.

Chuck had taken it to the nth degree. Basstard.

It had started with subtle hints laid out for the boys. Blair filled Chuck's iPad with books on being a father late in life and what to expect when you're expecting and the like, knowing that the boys often browsed their father's readings on their way to school. He'd had a slew of baby clothes delivered to her office while the boys were waiting for her to finish work. Next she'd set the boys up to meet their father during a Daddy and Me stroller meeting at the park. Then he'd had all her loose fitting clothes donated to charity leaving her only with the items that were rapidly becoming too tight around her mid section. Simple things.

This morning Chuck had brought out the big guns. Knowing that Blair's disposition had become sensitive of late... he'd come down to breakfast after leaving her curled in their bed, to tell the boys Blair was feeling under the weather and suggest that they might bring their mother breakfast in bed as a sign of good will.

The boys had appeared at Blair's bedside with a tray of over-easy eggs, fruit and whip cream, and a glass of orange juice with extra pulp. Blair had turned eight shades of green. Chuck had propped himself in the doorway and watched, smirking, as Blair moved her food around the plate, while trying not to actually look at it or eat it, while having a civil conversations with their sons the whole time.

Finally the boys left and Blair nearly tripped over the hated tray in her haste to reach the bathroom. She then hurled the contents of her stomach into the toilet until she collapsed to the floor, where she rested now.

Chuck almost felt bad. Almost. But then he remembered how she'd set him up the night before(the baby food stains would never come out of the silk of his favourite suit) and so he consoled himself with the thought that she had it coming.

Blair rolled onto her back and looked up at Chuck where he crouched, contemplatively at her side, and used one finger to gently move a lock of damp hair off her sweaty brow.

"Do you concede?" He asked mildly.

"I hate you." She panted with narrowed eyes.

"I'll take that as a no..." He said with a crooked smile and he patted her belly fondly.

Blair slapped his hand away. Chuck got up, straightening his tie, and walked to the door. "Good luck, Waldorf."

She had a baby co-ordinator tackle him and stitch him into a weighted faux baby belly three hours later. The photos were online in five minutes, and it took him an hour to cut himself out.

That night they sat, mutinously, on opposite ends of the couch, their sons between them as they watched Fringe. Blair made sure to comment more than once that Joshua Jackson's handsomeness only grew with age. She may have even made reference to an Elevator List which had the muscle in Chuck's jaw twitching repeatedly.

The boys were ready for the night to end. It was almost nine when the elevator binged.

Blair leaned back to raise a brow at Chuck from behind the boys' heads, but he merely shrugged at her before pausing the show. Before they could stand up and walk to the foyer... three 98lbs contortionists dressed as babies, diapers and bibs and all, cartwheeled and flipped into the room, ending in full splits in front of the Bass family. Next came three large men in drag looking like '50s housewives, with huge baby bellies, dancing with 4 foot tall baby dolls that each wore bows of pink and blue. A kick-line of five Rockette wannabes kicked through the room while two life-sized teddy bear dressed people held a boom-box and carried in no less than 5 dozen balloons in pink and blue that bore the word "Congratulations!" on them.

As one of the bears turned down the music, a contortionist blew a horn... and the whole group began to sing.

"... Weeeeee'd like to wish you our best, at your happy news! COOONNNGRAATTULATIOONS! From... YOUR LOOOOVING SONS!"

It was the cheesiest, most over the top display imaginable. Neither Chuck nor Blair moved a muscle. As the troop filed out, leaving behind the balloons to float annoyingly around the room, the Bass boys shared a smirk and Blair mumbled "Smartasses" under her breath. Chuck batted a balloon away from his face and hit play on the converter wordlessly.

_One week ago..._

_The boys got home from school and after dropping their coats and bookbags with a maid, they sauntered into the kitchen. Harry was finishing off a samosa while Bart licked the white out of the centre of an entire row of vanilla oreos before carefully returning the hollowed out cookie to the tray, when Serena skipped in with Dan slouching in reluctantly behind her._

_She threw her hands up in the air with a giggle. "Surprise!"_

_The boys glanced at one another before looking back at their Aunt. "You got a brow lift?"_

"_No, silly!" Serena cast off with the same lightness she had when the boys' mother cast a derision on her. She grabbed Dan's arm and pulled him next to her. "We're the surprise!"_

"_Oh, goody..." Harry commented dryly and as if he were speaking with morons._

"_God, now that his voice has dropped he's sounding more and more like Chuck."_

"_I'll take that as a compliment..." Harry replied. His eyes narrowed. It wasn't odd for their parents not to be home when they got home from school... however the appearance of their Aunt and Uncle without Chuck and Blair being present did raise a flag. "Where are our parents?"_

_Bart's head cocked to the side as he to waited for this answer. Dan looked nervous. Serena added another distraction giggle. "Not here! Something came up! They won't be home tonight! ... So we're here instead! We're going to have so much fun!"_

_Serena had kept to Blair's advice and kept her sentences brief. If she'd tried to go into greater explanations it would have drawn the boys' attention and led to questions everyone knew Dan and Serena were incapable of answering._

_Dan and Serena looked at the boys expectantly. They had a long wait. The boys merely kept their unwavering gazes leveled on the adults until both felt sweat break out on the back and Serena begged an escape, saying they needed to settle their things in the guest room for the night._

_Left alone the boys looked to each other._

"_Something's up." Harry stated what they were both thinking._

_Bart gave him a 'no shit' look. Harry rolled his eyes before shrugging. "Divide and conquer?"_

_Bart nodded._

_Twenty minuted later Bart in his seat at the dining room table. He had nothing in front of him and his hands were neatly folded, waiting for him. Dan came into the room carrying a glass of milk. He sounded extra chipper as he spoke._

"_Here you go, buddy." Dan placed the cold glass in front of his stoic nephew. "Blueberries, right?"_

_Bart said nothing._

"_So... How was school? I hear you do well... some kind of genius..."_

_Silence._

"_... even though you're on the quiet side... I've heard the word diabolical thrown about... but I would never use it... at least not in front of you... or your mother..."_

_Bart's face was blank._

"_You know... this whole... unnervingly silent thing you have going... I have to say it's really working for you. Not a lot of kids could pull if off... but you wear it well."_

_Very slowly Bart lifted the glass of milk to his lips and took a long slow sip. Dan thought he heard the drop of sweat that fell off his brow hit the table._

"_Seriously, kid, you're freaking me out."_

_In Chuck's office Harry sat in his father's chair, feet up on the desk and his head propped up on his hand as he contemplated his aunt._

"_Sooo..." He began._

_Serena giggled._

"_You know... Auntie Serena... I've always loved our relationship."_

"_Me too!"_

"_And as such... I have to say... that I feel like I could tell you anything... my trust in you and with you runs that deep..."_

_Serena's eyes filled with tears. Touched._

"_I just wanted to say... because I haven't said it enough..."_

_Tears started running freely down Serena's cheeks. _

"_I love you very much..." Harry finished, twisting the knife._

"_Harry! I have something to tell you!" Serena burst out. Harry hid his grin._

_An hour later Serena and Dan had taken refuge in their room, hiding from their interrogators. Harry sat on his bed, slouched back against the headboard, as Bart walked in and climbed up into bed with him. Both boys stared straight ahead._

"_So..." Harry began blandly. "Our parents are pregnant..."_

"_Yup."_

Present...

None of the Basses spoke of the pregnancy or the 'we know but they don't know that we know they know' shakedown. After they had all said goodnight and taken to their own rooms, Blair and Chuck lay sprawled on their bed as Blair quickly dialed Serena.

Chuck lay still and silent listening to one side of the conversation, only raising a brow once as Blair railed at Serena for letting children derail her and questioning her on whether she had any grasp of what "vow of silence" meant. After hanging up Blair curled on her side to look at him. Chuck reached out and traced a finger down her forehead, over her nose and then stopped to outline her lips.

"So they've known about as long as we have?"

"MmmHmmm."

"So... they've been... messing with us..."

"Yes."

"I'm almost proud."

"Me too."

They smiled slyly at each other before Chuck took her phone and texted. A few minutes later their door cracked open and two summoned boys stood there, judging them for a moment before they walked in and climbed into the bed, leaning against the footboard across from their now sitting parents.

"Aren't you two getting a little old-" Harry began.

"For a baby?" Blair cut off defensively.

"For the scheming." Harry finished.

"Never." Chuck answered as he reached out, squeezed Blair's hand and brought her fingers to his lips to kiss.

Bart's nose crinkled in disgust as did Harry's. "Ugh. This is how you two got into this situation to begin with." His eyes narrowed on Chuck. "I'm beginning to rethink all the talks we've had on safety... you really haven't set the best example."

"The fact that you don't have several hundred older half siblings is a testament to your father's safe sex knowledge." Blair said dryly.

Chuck looked off in the distance. "There was that one time..."

Blair rolled her eyes and quipped at him. "Yes, and if a lovely half Thai boy shows up on our door step we'll all be sure to welcome him with open arms."

"Don't worry, boys. Your inheritance is assured..."

"I don't feel assured." Harry said uncomfortably and looked over at Bart. "Do you feel assured? I do not feel assured."

Blair hit Chuck's arm.

"Let's just say... how Bo and I were unsafe... does not allow for conception..."

Every one thought on that... and everyone who wasn't Chuck grimaced in realization. Blair was the only one who accurately guest the implied act.

"So..." Harry broke in changing a subject that would have mortified other families but was merely fodder for this one. "A baby?"

Blair couldn't help but smile, because now that her boys knew she felt like she could be honest about how it made her feel. Happy. "Yes. A baby."

Harry side as if put upon. "Fine... but only in trade. One baby comes in, one has to get out." He looked down his nose at his brother. "I'd say it's been nice knowing you... but why lie?"

Bart scowled. Blair pinched Harry's toe that rested near her.

"Ouch!" He snapped before huffing teasingly. "Fine. You can keep both of them... I just hope the next one smells better."

Blair smiled knowing Harry loved his brother. Chuck spoke in the space. "So you're both ready for this?"

Bart raised a brow but it was Harry who spoke what they both were thinking. "The more pertinent question is... are the both of you?"

Chuck shrugged nonchalantly. "We've managed fairly well with you two... how much more difficult could the next one be?"

TahDAH So... we're gearing for the 100th episode on Monday? Trepidation aside... show of hands who can't believe that we've watched 100 episodes of this show? Actually since I boycotted the first four of four... so... I'm only at 96? So does that mean I get to celebrate four episodes from now? I just might. I have a couple of other thoughts, but I feel like I'm rambling tonight so I'll save them for another update. Are you shocked that I'm admitting to rambling? I do that when I'm tired... or I just do that a lot anyways?

Speaking of personal TV landmarks... Is anyone else watching the last season of OTH? Is anyone else disappointed with exactly how much it sucks ass? Seriously, I've watched all EIGHT previous years, from the very beginning, and have always defended it. I have no words for right now.


	45. Chapter 45

Hello! So? Are we all still alive after the 100th? I'll say a bit more at the end because I know some people don't watch right away and don't want to be spoiled. For now... Know what I hate? When your hands are freakin' cold and you try to take off your bra... and you hate the touch of your own hands. FYI... I may be sleeping in my bra tonight if I can't get my fingers to warm up. Onto the chapter, so for this pregnancy... we're going to jump through a little bit. I've got a lot of stuff in my head and I'd rather start writing and letting you all get to know... I was almost going to tell you h- name. What? And ruin the surprise? Never! Anyhoo, while pregnancy can be fun to write... I have plots to build and get out. Here we go...

"Is he here?" Blair demanded.

"Blair, darling, how nice to see you! You're looking lovely, but then pregnancy always did suit you."

"With all due respect... Can it, Lily. Where is he?"

Lily sighed. "Guest bedroom."

She sat down next to Rufus on the couch and shrugged slightly. "Well, I tried."

"You did, you really did." Her husband patted her knee.

Blair stormed down the hall, but reaching the guest bedroom door she opened it quietly to confirm her suspicions. The late morning light filtered through the drapes and gave her a clear view of his sleeping form tucked under the covers. His face was relaxed, his hair was messed, and his hands rested by his face. He looked adorably sexy.

She picked up the glass of water that rested on the bedside table and poured it over him.

Chuck sputtered awake cursing till he saw her looking down on him with disdain.

"Blair." He greeted innocently as he sat up in his undershirt and boxers so sexy Blair felt her mouth go dry. That only made her more driven.

"What were you thinking? That you could hide?" She demanded angrily. "That after all these years you could hide from me?"

She stormed away only to stomp back a few seconds later. "Your mother's house? You ran to mommy?"

"I was scared..." He teased. Her hormones had been raging for weeks now and while he greatly enjoyed her increasingly frequent ravishment of his body... a man needed some sleep. Two or three times a week he'd slip away from the office to get some rest at Lily's. He could only guess that his kitten had coming looking for him today.

"Poor baby." She mocked as she started to take off her clothes. "Be a good boy and maybe I'll play gentle..."

"Blair... I'm exhausted..." Chuck pouting but his eyes were eating up her bare, pale, silken skin. Her breasts had swelled along with the now more than gently curved line of her stomach. He felt his body harden further at the sight of her.

"I don't care." She declared as she shoved his shoulders back onto the bed.

She straddled his hips, grinding into him, and her hands touched him in ways that made him see stars. He knew men his age who were already on their second, third or even fourth wives, and to be honest, when he'd been a young teenager he'd assumed he'd be one of them. That was before Blair, before he'd had a taste of her, before he knew she was all he'd ever need or want. Now he couldn't imagine any woman but Blair. His wife knew his body better than he knew it himself. She knew every point and gap and slope, and she knew how to work him. No other woman could wring him out exactly as well as Blair Waldorf could.

In the living room Lily and Rufus turned up the volume on Downton Abby and ignored the sounds that were now coming from their guest room.

"We're going to have to get new sheets."

"Again."

One night while Chuck was working late, Blair lay in their bed reading the new issue of Italian Vogue when she heard the bedroom door push open. She looked up expectantly and saw Bart shifting his weight in the doorway. She smiled at him and pulled the covers open in invitation. Her ten year old blinked at her once before shuffling over to climb into bed with her like he had since he was little. He tucked into her side and rested his head against her shoulder and he stared at her belly as she stroked his hair. He tentatively reached out but then shied away from actually touching her, but Blair took his hand and gently placed it over her small bump.

After a few moments Bart looked up at her with huge, questioning eyes. She smiled down at his solemn expression. He was ten now, and while he was still a boy she could see in his face the man he was going to become. Right now though...

"You'll always be my baby..." She whispered and kissed his forehead. It was true and it went for Harry as well. No matter how old they got or if there was a new baby on the way... they would all always be her babies.

A few weeks later the Basses were piled into their limo as they drove through the park... to the Upper West Side. None were thrilled about it but this is what family got you sometimes... obligations in less than ideal territory.

"At least it isn't Brooklyn..." Blair tried to cajole them as she checked her makeup in her compact. The Bass males pouted regardless and pretended to ignore her. They loved their aunt Serena but a Saturday night on the wrong side of the park had not been on any of their agendas until Blair had announced her best friend and her husband's return from a month spent visiting his sister in London.

They'd each made a case for not going but Blair had won as usual. Now she just had to put up with their mutinous fallout. What they didn't know was that she had something on her mind which they soon found out. As they pulled up to the apartment... Blair's tongue ran over her lip. All three Bass males sat up straight in their seats. It was her greatest tell and one each of them was aware of.

"What?" Harry demanded.

She looked at him with innocent eyes. "What?"

"Yes... something..." Chuck breathed the air as if that gave him an hint at what was going on with her. "Is... up."

Blair rolled her eyes and smoothed her dress over her stomach. "Fine... before we go upstairs... you should be made aware of something so that you can guard your reactions."

"Huh?"

"As you know... You're aunt is expecting and so has... put on a little weight."

"Duh."

"Just be prepared!" Blair snapped at him. "And don't say anything!"

She quickly got out of the car and the Bass males followed along behind her. They each made mumbled apologies but mostly because the further along in her pregnancy she got the quicker she was to cut them down. With easy.

As the elevator door binged open their hostess quickly waddled up to greet them. Blair needn't have worried about what they would say... the three of them were struck speechless for the simple reason that... Serena was huge.

There were women who just had a belly but were otherwise small. There were women that had chests that doubled. There were women who's face filled out and glowed. Serena was all of them and then some. Her belly not only looked like it was about to pop even though she had a month to go, but everything about her had swelled.

To their credit they made it through the whole dinner in a polite and dignified manner with they only shots taken being at their usual target, Dan. Then they piled back into the limo at the end of the evening.

"What the hell was that?" Harry gasped as he bucked his seatbelt.

"Harry..." Blair pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Are you going to blow up like that?" Harry demanded as he looked at her rounded stomach.

Blair's gasp nearly sucked all the air out of the car. Chuck and Bart leaned back to avoid joining in what was going down with Harry and Blair. The two were quick fire as it was, but this topic was like lightening.

"No!" Blair snapped. "I'm no more likely to 'blow up' then you are to go grey before you're thirty just like your grandfather!"

"That was mean." Harry declared as he touched his perfect quaffed dark locks.

"So are you!" Blair declared petulantly, and was then distracted as she got a text on her phone.

_You realize you're fighting with a 15 year old, correct?_

_Bite me_, was the response Chuck got to his message.

_Happy to. Always._

_Pervert._

_I love you too._

With her focus on her phone and not on Harry he mistook her quiet as the silent treatment. Harry hated the silent treatment... possibly because he was so rarely silent.

"It's okay, Mother."

Blair looked up and her son was smiling at her in an encouraging way. "We'll always love you... even if you end up being three hundred pounds."

Blair rolled her eyes. "I am not going to be three hundred pounds."

Harry warmed to his topic. "Even if you get to be six hundred pounds... We'll still love you."

"Harold..." Blair started in warning.

Bart glanced at his father and saw him trying to hide a smile, which gave Bart licence to indulge in one himself as his brother tormented his mother.

"Even if you can't fit into the elevator and are house bound for years... We'll still love you."

"How comforting." Blair bit out tightly.

Harry's grin grew wider. "Even when Dad remarries... We'll promise not to love her, and always love you."

"That's it!" Blair snapped and reached across the car to pinch her son, who laughed more than anything else because she wasn't out to inflict damage, but to make a point.

"Child abuse!" Harry jokingly yelled. "Arthur, call the police!"

Blair sat back, hiding her own smile now. "What a lovely idea. Chuck, do you think they'd take both of them."

Chuck shrugged. "Probably."

Blair sighed happily. "Think of the rest... the calm... A clean house."

Harry scowled. Blair smiled and ran her hand over her stomach. "Just in time for the new baby. Fresh start."

"You are so funny..." Harry griped.

Blair reached over and caught his chin in her hand. "Where do you think you get it from?"

A month later they were visiting Serena again, this time in the hospital where she presented them with her baby daughter.

"Alright, B." Serena smiled. "I did my part, now it's your turn. Give Chloe a best friend just like we always planned."

Blair rolled her eyes and rubbed her rapidly swelling middle. "We're out of luck I'm afraid. Bass' don't make boys, remember."

Blair sent a disdainful look at her husband. "We'll just have to settle for a betrothal."

Serena looked down at the little girl that filled her arms at ten pounds, four ounces. "I don't know... I have a feeling..."

Blair didn't say comment having resigned herself to Bass boys long ago. Last week when she and Chuck had gone to the doctor they'd been offered the opportunity to know the sex, but Blair had turned them down since what was the point? Boy.

That night after coming home from the hospital Harry had gone out with his current, and by current he meant girl of the week, for the night, and Bart was in his room building a diorama of the Rocky Mountains. Blair was fresh from her bath and sat at her vanity and massaged cream into her skin. Chuck sat on the bed and watched her. As she finished he walked up behind her and he kissed the side of her neck at the same time his hands slid around her to rest on their baby. Their eyes met in the mirror and they shared a smile. His chin bent in to nuzzle her shoulder and her hand slipped up to grasp his neck before sliding into his hair and squeezing. Chuck hands were still as he waited... and was rewarded by a solid kick under his palm.

"I will." He said quietly.

"You will what?" She asked confused. Her eyes had drifted shut but they opened now to look at his expectantly.

"I'll love you no matter how fat you get."

She tried to pull out of his arms angrily, but he held her tight, smirking as he continued his son's joke.. "And I to promise not to love my next wife."

He grunted as her elbow slammed into his diaphragm. She moved out of his arms and after he finally caught his breath, he followed her only to have his pillow hit him in the face.

"Get out."

"You have got to be kidding..." He looked at her incredulously.

Her arms folded across her chest and her head cocked towards the door.

"Fine." He bit out. He stormed over to the door and couldn't help himself. "I bet my next wife won't be such a shrew."

He flinched as a vase shattered against the just closed door.

An hour later he was in the kitchen eating a slice of pie Blair had made in a moment of domesticity, and musing that this might be as close as he got to Blair's pie for a while.

"What are you doing up?"

Chuck looked up to see his eldest son saunter in. Chuck raised a brow at Harry's clearly slightly drunk appearance.

"Son." Chuck greeted.

Harry just smirked over his shoulder as the opened the fridge and took out a jug of milk. Getting a glass as well and went to the island to join his father.

"What'd you do?"

"I could ask the same of you..."

Harry shrugged. "Daisy found out about Kiki... It went about as expected."

Chuck shared a smile with his son before leaning back in his chair and contemplating him with a knowing smile.

"What?" Harry asked guardedly, not liking the knowing look on his father's face.

"Nothing..." Chuck shrugged slightly. "I just look forward to when you find the one."

He looked at his father like he'd lost his mind. That just made Chuck revel in it more.

"Whoever it is... is going to knock you on your ass." Chuck mused.

Harry scowled. "Says the man that's soulmate has banished him."

"Which is why I know exactly how a person looks who never thinks they're going to fall..."

Harry shook his head. "I think you should save your sage advice for your next kid."

"I like using it on this one." Chuck, as usual could say a lot with just his tone. Even with a new baby... Harry was still as much a priority to his parents as he'd always had been.

"I don't need it. I'm done and I'm awesome." Harry half smiled in confidence. "Nice work, Dad."

"You are... But I'm an old man... You'll have to tell your little brothers all my words of wisdom."

"Whatever. You're going to live forever. Mother will see to that."

Chuck just smiled as he stood up to head back to his room to win his way in. "Speaking of which..." He stopped briefly to pat Harry's shoulder. "On your ass, my son, on your ass..."

TahDAH! Okay so the 100th episode. I didn't hate it.

Here's my little take on her motivations... she'd just been rejected and humiliated by her new husband. In that scene in the church she asks the priest if she went to Chuck and begged him does he think Chuck would take her back. I don't think she could call Chuck after what she said to him and what she said to Louis in front of him. I don't think she could risk that Chuck might reject her. I think she needed someone safe, and given their recent past and the news that he wrote the vows she so loved... Dan is safe. She called him.

Oh, and Harry's comments are a little homage to the movie Away We Go. Love that movie... I'm kind of living that movie in a way. And the birth is in the next chapter. It was actually at the end of this one but it was running long, so... Baby Bass born soon.


	46. Chapter 46

Hello! Two things first. One, you know how lazy writers don't proof read? Well, some idiot wrote "Bass' don't make boys" instead of "Bass' don't make girl"... Or the idiot could have meant to write "Bass' make boys", but given her airheadedness... She probably doesn't remember which. And to a certain smartass freezing at a spa... this was not an admission of ANYTHING. Two... Many MANY thanks to everyone who has ever taken the time to review ITY. I've been writing fics for a long time and this is the first time I've had one break 1000 reviews. I'm very flattered and grateful. Oh, and I'm writing this as I watch Channing Tatum host SNL... This may affect my writing. Oh my, Channing Tatum... oh, my... Here we go...

Blair sat on the coach staring at the television screen and ignoring her husband. It wasn't as easy task... the man was using his 'sex me' eyes. Well he could just go sex himself... which he had been all week since the 'goodnatured' teasing about loving her even if she got fat. It was the next wife comments that had cemented him into the dog house.

His body was a breath away from hers, and his chin hovered by her shoulder as he husked. "You're beautiful."

"Nice try." She said coldly forcing ice into her tone.

"Blair..." He beseeched her his chin now on her shoulder as he tried to run his hand up her arm. She slapped it away and she'd been slapping it away since the fat debacle. It had been a full week since he'd been able to get more than a withering stare out of her.

She pointedly shifted away from him on the couch, and grabbed the channel changer to queue up Saturday Night Live. Chuck kept looking at her. And Blair suddenly found herself looking at Channing Tatum. She'd never been a big fan... but as her eyes widened at the monologue, her recently denied hormone fueled urges kicked in with a vengeance.

Given that he'd been entertaining himself by staring at her, he caught the whole show. The flush that rushed across her cheeks. The dilating of her pupils. The wetting of her lips. The picking up of her breath.

Chuck glanced out of the corner of his eye at the screen and grew incredulous as he watched muscled pretty boy thrust on the screen. His eyes went back to her and he scowled seeing her own gaze still locked on the gigolo. He'd spent most of his life studying turned on Blair and actively enjoyed putting her in that mood. It was one of his least favourite things to see someone else trigger that reaction.

"Should I leave you two alone...?"

"Huh?" Blair murmured, tilting her head toward him but keeping her eyes on the screen.

Chuck reached over and hit the power button on the remote about the time he saw the bongos. "That's it."

"What? NO!" Blair's eyes widened and she reached towards the screen as if she could catch the image.

"Let's go." He said getting up and holding out a hand to her to help her up.

Caught off guard by his tone she let him pull her up... also she did it because he was clearly leaving and given her current spherical shape it took her ten minutes to get up off the couch without help.

An hour later the floor of their bedroom was littered with crumpled twenties and hundreds that had been taken fresh from their personal home safe, and Blair sat in their bed listening to him shower in the other room. Her billionaire could give excellent lap dances when he wanted to. It was definitely a career option for him... but only if he performed just for her. She could afford him.

She carefully climbed out of the bed and padded into the bathroom. The room was filled with steam but she could see him in the large shower washing off the bill germs from his body.

Given his week of punishment and after the last hour of worship he'd more than made for himself and she was ready to forgive. She slipped off her nightgown and opened the stall's glass door. He turned around at the sound and that grin she loved so much curled his mouth. She smiled seductively back at him and in that smile he could see that all had finally been forgiven.

"Hi." She said as she moved into his arms.

"Hi." He replied as he ran soapy hands down her back to cup her behind.

Pulling him with her she shifted to stand under the water and he moved closer to her, their child under her skin between them. She shut her eyes as his hands slid into her hair and wet in under the steam, being careful to keep the water off her face. After he completed his task, his hands slid down to cup her chin and Chuck lifted it as he placed soft kisses over her eyes, cheeks and finally her mouth.

"You're so beautiful..." He whispered honestly.

Her eyes opened slowly and she fixed him with narrowed gaze. "And..."

"And I'm never going to marry anyone but you." He promised.

She nodded. "That's right."

Three weeks later Blair lay on the couch wearing only a thin day dress as the men in her life sat huddled together wearing their ski gear. She was boiling. They were freezing. She won. The central air was at full blast.

Harry looked over at her and mused through chattering teeth. "Shouldn't you have popped by now? Violet says you should have popped by now."

Blair looked over at him disgruntled. "Yes, because Violet is the expert on everything."

"They've already skipped her grades. She starts at Oxford in the fall." Harry said matter of factly.

"Oh, really? When was the last time little miss know it all had a baby? Tell me! TELL ME!"

"Back away son, back away..." Chuck murmured under his breath.

Ignoring them Blair shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She felt like she was a million months pregnant even though the moron doctor kept insisting she was 39 weeks. As she moved she suddenly gasped and froze. A wet stain rapidly ate up the silk underneath her, and upon seeing it the Bass males had three very separate reactions. Chuck shot to her side. Harry snapped a picture with his phone. Bart threw up on the carpet.

"Told you Violet was right."

"Don't kill him till after the baby is born. The jury will have more sympathy if you're holding a newborn in your arms..." Chuck commented as he helped her up from the couch, knowing she'd want to shower and change.

While the boys wanted to rush straight to the hospital Blair and Chuck took their time, knowing this could take awhile. It was four more hours at home before the pains were coming fast enough for Blair to demand her epidural. Two hours later she was settled in the best birthing suite at Lenox Hill and Chuck was sitting next to her. The boys had been with them until right around the time the doctor had prepared, what they saw as, the giant needle that was going to be stabbed into their mother's spine. They took that as their cue to grab lunch and coffee from a place down the street.

Chuck's hand took her and squeezed it before bringing it to his lips. "Are you ready for one last go around, Waldorf?"

Blair's eyes had been shut as she enjoyed the relief of drugs, but she glanced over at him. "So you weren't intending to go for twins next?"

He chuckled, kissing her fingers again. "Whatever you want..."

Her head turned on the pillow and she smiled. "I want this. This life, our three perfect boys, and you."

"Me?" He teased knowing she had already cursed him and his seed several times today and would most likely do so again soon.

She smiled and it melted things inside of him. "Yes, you. Always you." Her hand tightened on his. "I love you."

"I'm a lucky man. I love you too." He smiled back.

As the hours went by people came and went. Blair and Chuck's many parents. Dorota and Vanya. Serena and Dan. The last two were still there as Blair's contractions intensified. As they stood to head to join the others in the waiting room, Serena hugged her best friend one more time, and before she pulled away Serena whispered into Blair's ear. "Seriously, B... come through with a girl. Chloe will never forgive you if you don't."

They both laughed and then they both burst into tears.

"Hormones." Blair sniffed as she said goodbye to her friend.

At the door Serena and Dan waited for Harry and Bart to join them, but Bart set his jaw and planted himself firmly on a chair next to Blair. Harry looked at his brother and shrugged. "If he's staying, I'm staying."

"Boys..." Chuck began.

"It's fine." Blair told him. "They can stay."

Chuck nodded knowing where the boys were coming from and why Blair let them stay. They were in this together. It's how they operated as a family. If one was in need they were all there. Usually it was Blair who was the commander in many situations, but today they were there for her and their soon to be new baby Bass.

It didn't mean they weren't tested. Bart repeatedly turned eight shades of green, but managed to avoid another puking situation. Harry vowed celibacy at least three times. And Chuck promised to buy her Bergdorf's.

"Blair!" The doctor urged. "The baby is crowning! It's time to really push!"

"What the hell do you think I've been doing for the last hour?" She screamed at him. "Idiot!"

"Come on, Mom!" Harry encouraged. "Push!" And he was joined by his brother and father in supporting her to the end.

With a last heave Blair pushed the baby from her body and fell back against the pillows with Bart at her side quickly wiping the sweat from her brow as he had done for hours. Chuck had stepped forward to see the baby born, ready to cut the cord, ready to meet his new... Daughter.

"It's a girl!" Harry declared excitedly from the other side of the bed... as he tried to not look anywhere but at his new baby sister. "You two made a girl! Who knew you guys could do that!"

Blair had a riot of feelings running through her and she almost didn't believe him, but she laughed as she heard this news. "A girl!" Her eyes excitedly sought her husband's. "Chuck, we have a Bass girl! Seriously, who knew?"

It was as she finished speaking and actually looked at him that a wave of trepidation washed over her. Chuck's face was ashen and his jaw was clenched. It had been a very long time since she'd seen him look that... frightened. She began to register that there was rising tension in the room. She noted that the doctor wasn't putting her baby girl onto her chest, he was signaling a nurse who hit a button on the wall, triggering an alarm that brought more doctors, nurses and medial tech into the room.

"She's blue?" Harry asked confused looking from his baby sister who lay still in the doctor's hands, to his parents. The looks on their faces did nothing to ease his anxiety. "Is she supposed to be blue?"

The doctor handed the baby over to the new staff and they whisked her onto a table and began to work on her, and there were so many of them that they were blocking her from her family's view. Bart stroked Blair's brow and Harry took her hand, as much to comfort her as himself. Neither knew much of anything about labour, but they knew something was very wrong and their instincts were to move closer to their mother. Chuck fought the urge to grab his new daughter, Blair and the boys and make a run for it, but knowing that whatever was wrong with her could only be fixed by them he steadied himself. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he moved close to the chaos and he tried to discern what was happening. It didn't take medical knowledge to know it wasn't good.

Blair felt like she was losing her mind.

"What's happening?" Blair practically screamed into the room feeling trapped in the bed and torn away from her baby that needed her.

Blair began to sob in terror. "Why isn't she crying?"

TahDAH! So? Who wanted a little drama? Happy? Adore you all! Now, as for the baby... Yep. A Bass Girl! I've known forever that I was going to give them a girl eventually and I think many of you had a hunch that I'd give her to you too. She's having a rocky start, but the next chapter should flush out what's happening with her. I also know her name, but I'll save that till the next update.

Now, in support of our favourite couple and my favourite campaign, I just wanted to support the Save Chuck and Blair movement and urge people to tweet tomorrow night before and during the episode to GGWriters with "Reunite Chuck and Blair". I will try to hide from my boss in the bathroom or behind an office door to do the same. I'm a crazy optimist. I truly believe that... we're going to get CB by the end of the season, but it doesn't hurt for TPTB to know that we're here, we're addicted, and we're not going anywhere.


	47. Chapter 47

Hello! I know there are a few of you still out there! I'm actually curious to see how this story tracks after the last episode. This is my biggest fic, followed by Busted and I'm planning to post chapters in both over the next few days. I'm wondering about a drop off in the counts. Oh, I'd like to say, before you read it, that I'm not a doctor and I don't research nearly as much as others or as much as I probably should. I've made the baby's condition up. All you people smarter than me... forgive me. I'll also expand more on it in the next chapter. Here we go...

They'd told her to stay in bed. The doctors had said that having just delivered a baby she should be resting, and to do that, as she pointed out, immobile on a floor her baby wasn't on? Not happening. They didn't know Blair Waldorf. Before they were finished talking she was pulling out her IVs. Her family and friends knew better than to argue with her. Chuck had a wheelchair brought in and he pushed her up to the NICU where the medical staff had taken the Bass newborn just after her birth. Power and money bought influence and Chuck soon had a private room on the floor for them to be in. He made sure it also had a bed just in case, but he knew it would take all his convincing to get her to lay in it.

Unfortunately, since it was a closed floor only Chuck and Blair were allowed there, so they waited alone while their sons, family and friends waited in a private suite on the floor below. There was nothing to do for any of them but to wait as the doctors worked to stabilize her and run tests to find out what had gone wrong.

In a room too small for Bass standards, lit only by two lamps, and two plants that were more plastic and less real. Chuck stood by the wall nearly motionless, rubbing the skin under his lower lip with one finger in pensive arcs. The stillness in Chuck was directly opposite to that of his wife's current behaviour, and he didn't take his eyes off her.

She'd changed into a silk gown and robe that Lily had brought for her and it swished as she paced in the small confines of the room, and while pacing was usually a release the size of the space only contributed to her feelings of being trapped. Her arms were stiffly at her sides, her hands clenched tightly into fists. Her furrowed brow continued to tighten.

After all their years together he knew her well. He saw the moment her step staggered. The second the colour washed from her face. The heartbeat where she nearly collapsed to the ground. He was there before that happened, scooping her up and settling her down on the bed as if she were the most delicate of things. She tried to push herself up to sit, but before she could he pinned her with a stare and raised a finger in warning. "Don't. Move."

She looked at him mutinously for a moment before settling back against the pillows. She folded her arms across her chest, and stared at the twisted plastic of the plant against the far wall.

"She's going to be fine." Blair said forcefully, seeming to address the plant, while it was clear she spoke mostly to herself.

"Whatever it is... it's nothing. We'll take her home tomorrow-no tonight. As soon as Dr. Ass hurries up and tells us she's fine, which she is. Hospitals are filthy environments. This place is crawling with super bugs. She'll be better when she's at home." Blair nodded.

"They're just making us wait... they're practically civil servants." Her voice grew thick with tears and she clenched her eyes tightly shut. "They just have nothing better to do then to torture us-"

She couldn't finish her words that didn't matter. Chuck came and sat down on the bed beside her and took her face in his long hands.

"Look at me." He asked intently.

She shook her head rapidly, causing the tears that had slipped out from her eyes to slide off her cheeks in quick rivers. She couldn't look at him because she knew she'd be lost. He tightened his grip to pull her head closer and kiss her forehead.

"Please..." He begged.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I was supposed to take care of her... and I failed... I did something wrong..."

"You didn't fail. You did everything right. You're Blair Waldorf." He assured her.

She nodded and finally opened her eyes. She was right. When she saw the fear and tears in his eyes a sob broke from her throat. He pulled her tightly to him, her arms wrapping around him like a vice knowing that he too needed this comfort from being this close to his match. Long moments passed and her head was tucked into the crook of his neck and she could feel his heart beating against hers. Beating in the way they both wanted their daughter's to.

"Talk to me about happy things..." He whispered against her hair. "Talk to me about her..."

"We have a little girl..." Blair husked back, a small bewildered smile crooking her mouth. It still hadn't fully sunk in. Against all odds... a Bass man had made a girl. "Took you long enough to give me one..."

"I had to wait till we were ready and the boys were older..." He teased. "I have a feeling it's going to take a village with this one. She is a Waldorf Woman after all."

"What are we going to name her?" Blair's voice smiled quietly. "We never even talked about girl's names..."

"Personally I think any daughter of ours could totally pull off Edward..."

Blair nearly laughed, she liked this conversation and they both tried to live in the moment of everything working out the way they wanted it to, but as the minutes ticked by, reality bogged at them until they spoke no more. They lay in each other's arms, unblinking and still as they waited for the doctor. Blair's mind couldn't help but numbly go over hard facts. Her daughter was three hours old, but she hadn't held her. She hadn't even seen her.

Finally the doctor came in and Blair sat up in the bed while Chuck stood, shoving his hands in his pockets. Neither spoke and the doctor was unnerved by the full focus of the powerful couple, especially since the news he had wasn't good.

"Your daughter... She has a heart condition that prevents it from pumping oxygen fully into her blood."

That information landed like a thud in the room. All Blair could think about was how complex the heart was... how vital.

"But why didn't the ultrasound show anything... and we've heard her heartbeat. It was perfect." Blair told him sharply, wanting what the doctor was saying to be wrong.

The doctor nodded. "While she was in utero, Blair, your heart was doing the majority of the work. During labour and when she was out on her own... it exasperated the condition to where we are now."

"Which is?" Chuck asked sharply.

"We've stabilized her."

And Blair let out the breath she'd been holding and a hand pressed to her chest. "Thank you."

"So she's fine... You corrected the condition?"

The doctor was quiet and the sharp pairs of eyes narrowed on him.

"Well... Right now the most important thing is that she's stable... and in no immediate danger. But there are decisions to be made..."

"Like what?"

"Her heart condition... for the time being... is stable, but that could change... she could start and then continue to decline causing greater damage to her heart, and even if that did stretch over years or even decades... her health would always be greatly impacted."

"How impacted?" Blair demanded as she reached blindly for Chuck's hand and it was met and gripped tightly.

"Physical activity would be extremely taxing on her, and could make her condition worse. She could never be allowed to run, jump, dance... and... even if she lived long enough she could never carry a child... Without extreme caution her life expectancy could be greatly diminished."

Blair was crying now, but sucked in a deep breath to pull herself together, and Chuck's jaw was ticking as it clenched. They felt like the world was spinning and the thing that kept them grounded was their tightly held hands and their connection to each other.

"I'm sensing an or..." Chuck asked after reading the doctor.

"Or... there is a surgery. It could restore full function to her heart with only a low dosage drug regime to maintain the health of her heart and prevent further damage... but the surgery is extremely risky."

"How risky?"

"She might not make it off the table."

Chuck flinched and Blair's other hand came up to cover his. For long moments the doctor's words sunk in before he spoke again.

"Decisions don't have to be made tonight... and you two have a great deal to discuss... but as of right now, would you like to see your daughter?"

Their eyes shot to each other and their hearts were laid open. Chuck nodded tightly and in minutes he had Blair in the wheelchair and they were heading into the secure NICU. There were four other babies in the ward, each with haggard looking parents at their sides, and a half dozen nurses and doctors who quietly buzzed around each.

In the far corner there was a lone, clear domed crib with a small card attached to the side with "Baby Girl Bass" penned onto it. As they moved closer they saw their precious baby daughter encased and protected, Blair seeing her for the first time. She pressed her palms to the plastic, that being as close as she could get, and disregarded the wires and tubes that ran in and out of her. She saw only her baby.

"She's beautiful." Blair said in awe of her and memorized the tiny features of her baby.

"She is." Chuck agreed. He didn't tell her that anything was better then the frightening blue she had been. Her skin tone was now pale, but not shockingly so.

"I'll give you two a few minutes..." The doctor said and had almost moved on to the next patient when Blair spoke.

"Lenore."

The doctor had paused, but he turned fully back now. "Pardon me?"

"Her name. She's not Baby Girl Bass. Her name is Lillian Eleanor, but because she's an original..." Blair kept her eyes on her beautiful little girl. "Lenore."

The doctor nodded in understanding, sensing the need for the mother to have her child seen as more than just another baby in the ward. "I'll let the nurses know."

Blair ran her hand reverently over the plastic as if stroking the baby inside of it. Chuck stood closely behind her, his chest pressing into her back, his hands slipping around her and holding her tight as he rested his chin on her shoulder to look at their daughter and for the first time allowed himself to whisper her name.

"Lenore."

TahDAH! Okay so I went out the other night. I notoriously will not wear high heels. I haven't for at least five years because I feel like we've been socialized into our love of heels and they're one of the most oppressive and damaging items of clothing women regularly wear. I'm totally cool with other women wearing them, I support their right to choose to wear them, but I've just made the decision for myself that I won't. I wear flats, sneakers, flipflops. Never heels. I went over to a friend's before we were heading out, and I put on the dress I was going to be wearing and she was like "I have the PERFECT shoes for that!" To humour her I tried them on. Then I looked in the mirror. First words out of my mouth? "My legs look AMAZING in these!" Guess what shoes I wore? Guess what I'll be borrowing again when we go out again? Also, FYI, walking in heels is like riding a bike. It came right back. My feet however... VERY angry at me the next day.


	48. Chapter 48

Hello! I feel like I just want to hug you all. It used to be that we were just divided from the DSers. Now? It's like the writers have made us all so anxious that we're turning on each other. I don't want to let them win! Whether you choose to watch or choose not to watch... it's all good. On another note... have you ever had Menchies? If you haven't it's frozen yogurt. Many different kinds. Many different toppings. They just opened one in Vancouver. It tastes like crack in your mouth. Or maybe it just tastes that good because I'm a recovering ice cream addict and this stuff? Knocked me off my wagon. All I have to say is... MmmmmmmMMmmmmm! Oh and could anyone tell that I could not remember the word "incubator" in the last chapter? I just tried to be descriptive and write around my brain burp. Here we go...

Harry, who wasn't afraid of anything, was more terrified than he'd ever been in his life. He and Bart had been whisked out of the room by a couple of orderlies after their sister had been born. They'd stood, just the two of them, alone in the hall, feeling as if the world had just spun wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen. Didn't everyone know? They were the Basses. They could control everything. Which is why Bart, and especially Harry felt so discombobulated at the sense of total loss of control, not just for them, but their parents as well. Neither could believe what was happening, because this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Bart felt like going to a chapel for the first time and making oddly desperate pacts with God, while Harry, for all his imagined maturity, felt as if he was no older than a lost five year old. It could only have been a few minutes, but it had felt like hours before they heard the clack of heels and turned to see Lily following a nurse over to them.

It felt good to be found.

Over the next few hours that they remained separated from their parents, the Bass boys were never really alone. They'd sat with their grandparents, Dorota had come and brought them soup, their uncle Eric had brought them iPads, and their aunt Serena had wisely left Chloe at home with Dan in order to sit with the boys.

Harry, usually, okay, always the more gregarious of the Bass boys was oddly silent. He slouched in a chair, his brother sitting on the floor next to his leg, and said nothing. They got updates here and there, mostly telling them that Blair was fine, that she was in a private room, and then later that they were moving the baby to a private room.

The baby. Harry and Bart's little sister.

Although it often wasn't apparent to the casual eye, and even then could seem begrudging, Harry deeply loved his little brother. Now, even with having only seen her once, he knew he already loved his little sister and it terrified him to even contemplate her loss. He knew it would hurt him and Bart, but he also knew that it would devastate his parents. Harry had spent a lot of time talking to Violet about how their family was going to change when the baby was born. After feeling her stretch under his mother's skin, after seeing her move across the screen in ultrasounds, after the shopping and planning... He already felt like she was a part of the family. Like she was meant to be there. What happened if that piece was taken away?

Finally, when he thought he was going to go crazy, his Dad walked into the waiting room.

"Dad!" Harry said and he and Bart quickly stood and launched themselves into Chuck's arms.

Their father hugged them tightly, before pulling away. Chuck still looked very serious, but he placed a hand on each boy's shoulder and looked them in the eye. "Do you want to meet your sister?"

"Yes." Bart whispered, and only his father and brother heard him.

With a nod to the rest of the room, Chuck turned and led the boys to the elevator and a quiet ride up to the other floor. Chuck had quickly made arrangements for his daughter to be moved out of the crowded ward and into her own private room. He kept thinking about super bugs, but also how difficult it was to stand in a room filled with parents in the same boat as you... You could almost feel the desperation and it hadn't been making him or Blair feel any better. He'd talked to the head of the hospital and arrangements were made for a private room, equipment, and staff, and Chuck had also spoken to Lily, who was having the top staff in the city sent over to care for the youngest Bass.

When they boys went in there was a shocking amount of medical tech in the room, and yet only their mother was there, watching over her daughter as the machines beeped and hissed. Blair looked up when the door opened, and she managed a smile. The boys hid their gasps. In all of their lives she'd always looked perfect, beautiful, and oddly younger than she should given her lack of plastic work, but the fatigue on her face scared them more than anything.

She waved them closer and the boys stumbled into her hugging her as tightly as they had recently hugged their father. Blair held them to her, her almost men, but still her babies.

"Shhh." She whispered. "She'll want you to be happy when you first meet her for a proper introduction."

Turning the boys towards the incubator, she stood behind them and lean down to say softly.

"Harry. Bart. This is your little sister, Lenore." Then addressing the baby. "Lenore, these are your big brothers, Harry and Bart."

For one of the first times ever, both Bass boys were rendered speechless. They both looked passed the wires and machinery and saw their tiny sister underneath. The boys stared down at this little splitter of their inheritance, and were hooked hard.

"She looks good... for having been inside another human being for nine months." Harry offered, trying to be helpful. "And hey, she's not blue anymore. Improvement."

"Well, that's better than your reaction to Bart when he was born." Chuck smiled with a shrug at Blair.

"Where's her hair?" Bart's eyes looked at his mother and asked the question that was most obvious to him.

"Bart?" Blair said mildly.

His brows raised in unison as looked at his mother innocently in askance.

"Shut up." She kept telling herself that she had more important things to worry about, but she couldn't deny that her eye had made note of her daughter's completely hairless head.

"Bet he's never heard that before..." Chuck mused.

Harry patted Bart on the back. "Welcome to my world."

It dawned on both Chuck and Blair that this was the first time, where it was just them, the Basses, as a whole family. A chill ran through Chuck thinking that this could be one of the last times for that as well.

Looking back at her Harry started talking again. "When do they take that stuff off her? When can we take her home? Does she have to wear those hospital clothes? What colour are her eyes? And seriously, when will she grow hair?"

Blair's eyes shot to her husband's and he nodded. He was going to have to take this one.

"Boys... we need to talk..."

Harry's eyes shot to his brother's and he nodded.

"This is never good..."

The boys sat on the hospital bed that was supposed to be for Blair, but which she hadn't rested in since the baby had been brought in. Chuck sat on a lounge chair that could fold out into a bed in front of them. Blair stood away from them, stood by her baby, and listened.

As Chuck leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he formulated how and what he was going to say.

"She... can't leave the hospital yet..."

They waited, sensing there was more, sensing the need to hover on their father's words. Finally they listened to the calm cadence of his voice as he told them of their little sister's heart condition, and their options. The first being to do nothing, and be guaranteed to that she'll live, but that her health would be greatly impacted and possibly deteriorate as she aged. Or they could have her have a surgery that if performed quickly enough, could correct the condition before it caused any greater damage to her heart, and allow her to live a full life, only it was extremely risky and she may not survive the operation.

There was silence in the room as Chuck finished his long explanation and the weight of it all sunk into their minds. The boys shared one look and knew they were on the same page.

"We think she shouldn't have the surgery!" Harry burst out for both of them as Bart nodded beside him.

"Harry..." Chuck began but was interrupted.

"We'll take good care of her! We'll jack her full of blueberries and acai berries and whatever else it is we should pump into her. So what if she can't run? We're Basses. We aren't athletic anyway."

"Harry, there may be things that she might want to do... a life she'll want to live but can't because her body might not be up to it." Chuck tried to reason with them even if he did see their point.

"Who cares? She'll be here!" Harry said adamantly, not seeing into the future but only what mattered most in the present. Their sister being alive.

Blair had stayed quiet for the whole discussion, and she read the weariness in her husband. She stepped in, speaking calmly. "Boys... while we... are grateful for your opinions... We're her parents. It's up to us to decide what's best for her."

They both nodded, but it was reluctant at best, and everyone in the room knew that Harry and Bart were most likely thinking of kidnapping schemes as they said goodnight to their parents and sister and headed downstairs to go home with Lily for the night.

After kissing each boy on the cheek, Blair shut the door after them and joined Chuck who was keeping vigil by their girl. He was sitting in the chair that was set by the incubator and as Blair slipped onto his lap his arms wrapped around her tightly and he buried his face in her hair and neck. This close to him she could feel the tremors that rippled through him and she held him back in the strongest grip she could muster. She felt the wetness on her skin and the silk of her robe and found the strength to clasp him even tighter.

Still at last he whispered. "They're right. We shouldn't do the surgery..."

Blair sat up in his lap and looked down at him, keeping her hands resting on his shoulders. "Chuck?"

He knew she was confused at what he was thinking since up until then they'd both had a sense that the operation was the choice to make, and so he went on to try to explain. "They're right... we have her. Right now, we have her alive and with us... We can fund research... find a cure that isn't so risky... Find something where we don't run the chance of never getting to know her at all... Blair... She's so tiny..."

Blair knew where he was coming from. One of the best heart surgeons in the world had given them a detailed description of the procedure and gone over all the risks with them. She'd seen Chuck's face go white, and she knew he was terrified, she knew it because she too was feeling exactly that.

She took his face into her hands and her thumbs gently rubbed circles into his skin, soothing him. She looked into the eyes of the man she'd loved for more than half her life, and who she knew would love her back forever, no matter what. This was her Chuck, and he needed her to be strong now, for both of them.

"Yes, she's tiny... But she's strong. She's our daughter and she's fighter. We just have to believe in her and back her up." She said firmly and honestly, the words coming easily because she believed them. "We need to believe in her now. Right from the start."

"I believe in her." Chuck murmured and his hand found the back of her neck to pull her in closer.

She pressed her forehead against his, keeping eye contact. "I know. And I know you're still scared. I'm scared too... But she deserves the opportunity to fight for a chance at more than a limited life. Once again... Chuck, she's our daughter... and if she's anything like either of us... she's going to want... everything, she's going to want to experience everything to the fullest. We need to think of what is best for her not just right now, but in the future, and so I think we need to do this for her now. I don't think she'll thank us for it later if we don't... We're her parents and what I said to the boys was true. We need to do what we think is best for her... and I truly believe that having the surgery will be best for her."

He was quiet for a long time, so long that she go nervous.

"Do you think I'm awful for wanting her to have the surgery... for risking her life?" She had to ask.

He shook his head. "I don't think you're awful. I think you're a wonderful mother."

Blair knew the risks for the operation as well as Chuck did, and she felt in her bones that having it was the best decision they could make for their daughter, and she even knew that deep down Chuck felt the same way... but still there was a separate fear that twisted like a snake in her gut. She wasn't going to voice it, she was going to bury it, but Chuck got to it first.

"Stop that." He whispered and his nose nudged hers.

"Stop what?"

"What you were thinking." He told her.

She shifted back and little to see his whole face. "And what was I thinking?"

He cut to the chase, his hands reaching up to take hers from his face and hold them in his own. "I won't blame you. If things... go wrong I won't blame you... because I agree with you. She's a Bass... and a Waldorf... if she has a chance at having a full life with this surgery... I think she'd want us to see that she gets it... So, I'm with you. This is both of our decisions... and I want her to have every opportunity too."

Tears ran down her face as she nodded, because he'd relieved the worry that had taken root since she'd made it clear where she stood. They were in this together, and no matter what they would stay in this together.

Three days later Chuck and Blair stood at her tiny bedside as they nurses prepared her to be taken to the OR. There was a moment when she was almost clear of all the tubes and machines when Blair was forced to speak, her heart in her throat as this became more real.

"Can I hold her?" In the four days since she'd been born, Blair had yet to hold her and if this didn't go well... she didn't want to have missed the opportunity to hold her at all.

The nurses shared a look, but one nodded and explained to Blair how to stand and which wires to be careful of. Finally the slight weight of her daughter was placed in her arms and tears ran down her face. Chuck's arms slipped around Blair's waist to hold them both, and he realized he was crying too. The sense of completion was both beautiful and terrifying.

"We love you." He whispered to the eyes that hardly ever opened. "We love you so much."

"Lenore. Lenore. Lenore..." Blair whispered to her over and over again.

"We don't say her name enough." Blair, who had been so strong in the past days, started to break, her voice husky with tears. "She has to know her name. Know who she is. She is Lenore Waldorf Bass."

Blair's voice strengthened and she spoke to her daughter clearly and firmly.

"You are Lenore Waldorf Bass and you are strong. You are a fighter. You can do this."

After the nurses had take Lenore away, Blair could only hope that she was right.

TahDAH! Okay so should I tell you that I'm going to probably jump ahead a little? I just don't feel like writing the waiting. Whatever I'm going to write about what happens to Lenore will be a few weeks or months later. A little of this comes from a conversation I had with a mother at a Day Care I worked in forever ago. Her daughter's arm had been hurt during labour and she had very limited use of the arm. There was a corrective surgery and she was scheduled to have it done, but her mother was scared. We talked a lot about... what it would mean to have it and not have it. By no means am I saying I played any part in the decision, I was just one of the people she talked to about her fears. I always remember thinking about how hard it must be to be a parent. How sometimes, when your child is sick you have to make the tough decisions because you are the parent. Now years later, with things that are going on in my own life, I think of that again and it never ceases to amaze me the depth that so many parents have for their children. The deepest desire to do what they feel is right for them. To want for them.


	49. Chapter 49

Hello! My country wants me to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Or at least that's what I'm beginning to think given all the commercials they seem to flood onto my computer. Have I mentioned that I've never been able to keep a secret from my best friend? She's awesome at it and can keep things from me forever. I have zero filter with her and tell her every thought as it enters my brain and every event before during and after it happens. I feel if I sign up to be a Mountie... That should be the big secret I finally manage to keep from her. Until I show up at her house in a red coat and riding a horse. Sooo, I'm babysitting tonight, watching LiLo on SNL and writing this. Her face scares me so... hopefully, I'll make it through. Okay, I take it back. The Real Housewives of Disney are hilarious. Here we go...

It was 2am and she was wide awake. Blair lay on her back stiffly and waited. It was not her strong suit. She drummed her fingers on her belly and frowned at the ceiling. Everything in her wanted to walk down the hall because it was taking too long. Chuck was talking too long. After her successful heart surgery and a month in the hospital Lenore had finally been released, and tonight was her first night home. Wanting to keep it small they'd insisted on it just being the five of them tonight, much to the rest of the family's ire.

Even still it had been a bit of a free for all. While they had been able to hold her in the hospital for weeks, this was the first time she was home and all theirs. It became a fight on who got to hold her until Blair instituted timed sessions on who got to hold Lenore and for how long. Blair smirked at the sulking Bass men, because her breast feeding trumped them several times. Every couple of hours she's slip away with Lenore and lock them away in her bedroom so she could have a few minutes alone with her.

It still floored her. As an only child she'd always believed siblings just split their parents love... and money. But having had her third she realized that it made it grow. She loved her sons with everything in her heart, and when she looked down at the tiny little girl nursing at her breast it just made her heart grow. Blair rolled her eyes. Lord help her if people could see her loss of edge, but luckily only her family could see it.

Earlier tonight Blair had done Lenore's 11pm feeding and had enjoyed every second of her baby in her arms, warm and alive, however she and Chuck had an arrangement. Blair would pump and Chuck would give Lenore her 2am feeding. This served two purposes, one it let Blair get some sleep, and two it gave Chuck alone time to bond with his daughter. It was all well and good... but it had been an hour and a half since they'd heard Lenore fuss to be fed over the monitor.

Finally she couldn't stand it anymore, and through back the covers to go into the nursery. She stood there for a moment and stared at him. Her. Them. Chuck sat in the cushioned rocker with Lenore sleeping on his chest, and her finished bottle set aside as father and daughter dozed together.

A warm feeling flooded her and she had to snap herself out of it, feeling slightly dirty for having naughty thoughts at the moment. She padded over to his side and pouted down at him.

"You're hogging her."

He didn't open his eyes but a smile curved his lips. "Sue me."

She stroked his hair in a smooth gesture, and then leaned down and gently caressed Lenore's perfect cheek with the tip of one finger. She knew he wasn't putting her down anytime soon, and not wanting to return to their bedroom alone, Blair walked over to the Queen sized bed that placed on the other side of the room as the crib, pulled back the covers and crawled in. She curled onto her side and contentedly watched her husband cradle their baby.

"You were right." He said a while later, long after she'd thought he'd drifted back to sleep.

Blair smiled sleepily. "I always am. You'd think you'd know that by now, Bass. What pray tell was I right about this time? I'll need to know to properly keep score."

He ignored her teasing lilt. "About the surgery. You were right that she should have it."

After all the fear before and during the operation, all the hours of waiting to hear if it was successful, and all the weeks in the hospital as she recovered... it felt amazing to hold Lenore in his arms, and feel how strong she felt, how steady her heartbeat against his own. It had all been worth it, because now, with the help mild daily medication, Lenore's heart was perfect. They didn't just have years with her, they had a lifetime.

Blair hadn't said anything and the quiet stretched and they were both dozing off when the door opened and in stumbled Harry, half asleep, and threw himself down on the foot of the bed. He was asleep almost before he'd fully pulled a throw blanket over himself. Blair and Chuck raised a brow at each other. "How long?" Chuck asked, but it was answered before she could, as in walked Bart with his pillow tucked under his arm. He lay down by Chuck's feet, shoved the pillow under his head and went to sleep.

Blair shrugged a little. "At least he's wearing pajama bottoms."

"Goodnight, Waldorf."

"Goodnight, Bass."

"Shhhh!" Bart grumbled.

A few weeks later Blair and Serena sat on a bench in the park, sipping decaf coffee from their cups and watching the nannies play on a blanket with Lenore and Chloe. Blair eyed her daughter's still hairless head but consoled herself by assuring herself that no hair was better than what was going on on the top of Chloe's head. The baby had blonde hair that stuck straight up off her scalp and Serena had already confessed that nothing she tried seemed to be able to get it to lay flat.

As Blair continued to weigh the pros and cons of bad hair vs. no hair at all, Serena had other things on her mind.

"B?"

"Hmm?" Blair asked distractedly as she spotted Chloe's grasping hand going for Lenore's face and she snapped at her nanny. "Marta! Her eyes! She has two and I'd like to keep it that way!"

"Blair..."

"Marta do not make me pick up my phone and call INS!" Blair said sharply to the nanny who picked up Lenore and moved her away from Chloe, who seemed hell bent on hugging Lenore to death.

"We're not having sex." Serena confessed quickly. "We haven't since before Chloe was born."

"What?" That got Blair's full attention. "I mean... I'm not surprised. It is Humphrey after all... but he's your thing... so what's the problem?"

"I don't know... Didn't you and Chuck have... a dry spell after Bart?" Asked hopefully.

Blair rolled her eyes. "We had a dry spell... what you've got going is a drought. Chloe is five months old."

"So... are you and Chuck?"

"Why do you think I was late to the park?" Blair smirked... and then lost her train of thought at her remembrance of how she woke him this morning.

Serena looked off, past the children to a point only she could see. "It's not just that... We... want different things..."

Blair turned to stare at her friend. "Such as?"

"I miss the Upper East Side..."

"It's home." Blair finished for her.

"Exactly and Dan won't even consider it... and there are other things..."

Blair raised a brow. "Besides sex and real estate?"

It was Serena's turn to roll her eyes but she got serious a second later as she met Blair's gaze. "I think I've fallen out of love with him."

"Oh, boy." Blair sighed and took a sip from her cup.

"B! Is that all you have to say?"

"S, I love you and I want you to be happy. Whatever it is you want to do, I'll support you... just know that this is going to open up a huge can of worms. Big ones. Ones that are all related to each other and are going to have different reactions to how this plays out."

Serena nodded.

Several weeks later, Chuck came home and headed straight upstairs. He knew his boys were out, Harry was... well, Blair would say, "God knows where", but Chuck knew exactly where Harry was. His PIs and security team kept him abridged of his eldest's whereabouts. He thought refraining from telling his wife Harry was in New Jersey was the best idea.

Bart was sleeping over at Eric's... but only after Eric could promise that he'd have his own room with a king sized bed and western exposure. It wasn't the first time that someone had taken Chuck aside to ask if the boy had been tested for Aspergers.

"He's not autistic. He's just Bart." Chuck had commented easily each time.

Knowing the boys were away, he searched out his girls, and found them easily. When he walked into the master suite he spotted the closed bathroom door with a crack of light streaming out from under it and headed for the room, stripping off his jacket, slipping off his shoes and socks, and loosening his tie as he went. He paused for a moment to brace himself for the heat, and opening it he was his with the wall of warm air. He quickly shut the door after him knowing that Blair didn't like the heat to escape. The mirrors and shower door were think with fog and drops of condensation dripped down leaving trails. The tile under his bare feet felt wet and slick, but was warm because of the in-floor heating, and he stood for a moment looking down into the bathtub. Whenever Blair bathed Lenore she cranked the heat in the bathroom and made sure that the water and air were warm so that Lenore was comfortable and not chilled.

Blair sat at the far end of the very full tub, and kept her legs pulled up closer to her chest. Lenore rested on her mother, her head on Blair's knees as her bare bum sat on Blair's stomach. The water came up over Lenore's belly, and Chuck knelt at the side of the tub and Blair's head rolled towards him to give him a smile.

"Hi." He said softly, kissing her lips.

"Hi." She said back as he pulled away, leaving her lips tingling.

Chuck stripped off the rest of his clothes and carefully slipped into the tub, not wanting startled Lenore or splash her. He sat at the opposite end of the bath and his toes touched Blair's. He leaned back, placed an elbow on the rim and rested his head on his hand to watch them. Blair and her daughter only had eyes for each other, cooing back and forth, and Blair played with her hands, and lifted a foot to kiss it every now and then. He didn't mind the lack of attention he was being paid, because he felt like he was party to something special.

"Is Harry across State lines again?" Blair asked a while later as she ran a cloth over Lenore's shoulders and tummy.

He raised a brow. He should have known she'd know. She answered his unvoiced question dryly. "He smells like Jersey."

"In a good way." Chuck smiled.

"There is no good way in Jersey. Period." Blair condemned as she poured some oil into her hand and rubbed it gently into Lenore's still bald scalp. Blair had been researching everywhere for anything that would encourage hair growth. As yet she would seem to be unsuccessful.

The boys had had their own solution. Last week, after a dinner out, Blair and Chuck had come home to two laughing Bass boys... and a daughter with a full, blonde wig on her head.

"There, Mother. Problem solved." Harry had mocked. "You're welcome."

"What is on my daughter's head?" Blair asked with a curled lip.

"It's a baby wig. We got it off the internet." Harry told her. He held Lenore in his arms and the three and a half month old looked at her mother with wide eyes... well, where there weren't thick locks of hair now curling in her way. "It's real human hair."

"That's disgusting. Get it off her scalp before I scalp you." Blair said through gritted teeth.

"Really, Harry? Blonde? She's a Bass after all." Was Chuck's only sensor as he stepped forward and took a remarkably calm Lenore from her brother's arms.

Back in the tub, Chuck looked at his wife carefully. "It will grow." He assured her and hoped he was right. Both boys had been born with a full head of dark hair. Their daughter seemed to have only mastered perfectly winged dark eyebrows.

"What?" Blair looked up, and Chuck realized that wasn't what she'd been thinking about at all.

He lifted his head a little. "Spill, Waldorf."

Blair was going to deny that anything was worrying her, but she sighed instead. She kept her gaze on Lenore as she spoke. "She's almost four month old..."

"As I recall..." Chuck urged.

"I said I'd go back to work when she was four months old..."

"And you don't want to." Chuck said for her and she nodded.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to..." Chuck reminded her, and it was true. He wanted Blair to be happy, so if working was what she wanted, he'd support her, and if it was taking a break, he'd support that too. He just had to ask. "Is this because of her heart?"

Blair paused to look up at him before looking down to trace a finger down the pink, healing scar that still marred the centre of Lenore's chest. Blair shook her head. "Maybe that's a part of it... we could have lost her... but also... she's our last one... Then there are the boys... they'll be gone soon, off to college. And I love spending so much time with Serena and Chloe... I think S needs me right now too."

Chuck nodded and rubbed his toes against hers. "We all need you, Blair."

She smiled at him. "I'll go back eventually... I just feel like... right now this is what I want to be doing."

"Sitting in fear that our child may pee on you?" Chuck teased.

Blair kicked him under the water, but gave him a smile. She knew he understood, because since Lenore had been born he'd cut back on his hours at the office, and also often coming home for lunch with them or meeting them in the park, as if he didn't want to miss anything at home either.

As the water started to cool, Chuck stood up, stepped out, wrapped a towel around his waist and held his hands out. Blair lifted the baby under her arms and brought her close to her face. Lenore's amber eyes looked at her mother's dark ones. Blair kissed the tip of her tiny nose.

"Even bald I'll keep you." Blair sighed.

Her husband chuckled and took the baby from her. He carefully swaddled her in a soft towel and carried her to the nursery where he diapered and dressed her in her pajamas before resting her on his shoulder and bringing her back to her mother. Blair was already in bed, and Chuck passed her back so that Blair could nurse her. He lay quietly beside them, holding one tiny had as she fed. He again marveled at the strength of Lenore's grip as it wrapped tightly around one of his fingers.

She fell asleep at her mother's breast and Chuck took lifted her and took her back to the nursery, tucking her in gently and whispering his love. After he walked back into the master and found Blair as asleep as their daughter, and crawled into bed with her, kissing her goodnight and whispering of his love.

TahDAH! Okay, so this was a bit of this and a bit of that chapter. I may do another one like that. Here's the idea and I wanted to know what you think... I have story plots in my head for each member of our Bass family. Would you hate it if I didn't go in chronological order? I could write the full story that I have in my head, which would be a few chapters each, all at once, or I could jump around a bit... do a chapter with Bart as a focus, but the next one may focus on Blair or one of the other family members. But remember... The Bart story may have him... like 20, Harry 25 and Lenore 10, but the next chapter might be focused on Lenore when she's 18, Bart 28 and Harry 32. Chuck and Blair are always present and will have their own stories as well. Make sense?

PS-It never ceases to amaze me how short American maternity leaves are. It's like 3 months right? Mat leave is like a year in Canada. I think? I have no baby.


	50. Chapter 50

Hello! Happy 50th chapter! This will be probably the last time I talk about numbers, because I don't want to bore you all, but I just thought it was funny. I was looking at the graph of February readers... and on February 20th, my numbers tanked. Usually it looks like a wave, sometime higher, sometimes lower depending on when I posted... but this? It was pretty hilarious. Also in my many years of fic writing, I have never seen it sharply drop like that before. I place the blame on one episode. It flatlined for three days after the DB shenanigans before it started to come back up. It was like everyone was in shock and needed some time to recover. I'm glad you're back. ITY visitors are back to normal. Oh, and I still can't believe how short American Mat Leave is! And in case anyone is wondering... I have not heard from the RCMP. Here we go...

Blair tried, she really did try to listen to Serena about her issues with Dan, and she was only taking a longer than usual time to blink when...

"BLAIR!"

Blair head fell out of the hand it had been resting on and she nearly face planted into her salad.

"What?" She asked as she straightened and tried to appear normal. She'd barely slept last night and had thought about canceling lunch with her best friend, but only didn't because she felt like if she didn't get away from her tiny, little commandant she'd trade her for a iPod and a coupon for a free burger at TGIFridays.

Serena raised a brow. "What was the last thing I said?"

"Humphrey thinks the G-Spot is a myth." Blair quipped.

Serena's face fell. "That wasn't what I said... but it's sadly true." Serena heaved a sigh and set her own problems aside for a moment. "Okay, B, spill."

Blair paused for a moment as she tried to come up with how to turn the phrase. "My daughter is a monster."

Serena laughed.

"Shut up." Blair bit out. Her best friend froze.

"I'm sorry." Blair moaned before she sat up straighter and snapped harder. "No, no I'm not. You have one of those magical babies that you put in a crib, she shuts her eyes, and goes to sleep for ten hours. I have a monster."

"Well... they say the apple doesn't fall far..."

Blair's eyes narrowed. "True. Which means... Chloe's going to turn into a moping want-to-be writer with bad hair and misplaced moral superiority complex."

Serena's face fell. "I don't want to play this game anymore..."

"I thought so." Blair eyed her a moment before moving on. "Lenore... never sleeps more than 45minutes at a time if we try to put her down alone in her own room. Admittedly it may be our own faults given that for the first month she was home... we all slept in her room-"

"You think?"

"Anyways... She won't sleep alone. The only good news is that she seems to make it at least a few hours at a time if one of us is there, so that leaves the other three to actually get a little thing called sleep themselves. The bad news is that last night was not my turn for sleep, which is coupled with the fact that I married the stubbornest man on the planet!"

"You don't say?"

"He insists that _we_ still share a bed because he can't sleep without me near. Blah, blah, blah. Whatever. All it means is that every other night we're both in her room. We're both getting woken up by her screams. And we're both not sleeping... or doing anything else there... because, even we have limits apparently."

"Why don't you guys get a night nurse?"

"Thank you, first time mom, why didn't we think of that on our third child?" Blair voice was like acid, but it just rolled of Serena's back, so Blair continued. "We tried that. They keep quitting. None of them have lasted more than two nights."

"Maybe she'll mellow with age?"

"I'm going to die... but at least then I'll get some rest."

Chuck sat at his desk in his office, and looked through some papers, but he would barely get past a whole sentence before Lenore demanded his attention once again. She sat, plunked on his desk by her mother who had dropped her off when yet another nanny had quit and Blair had a spa appointment.

As she sat, her legs in front of her, and her back straight, Lenore grabbed everything in her reach and shoved it into her mouth. Chuck snatched pen after slobber covered pen from her lips, until he rifled through the diaper bag, found her pacifier and popped it into her mouth. He smirked at the surprise that rounded her eyes.

Sucking away for several moments, Chuck decided to take the opportunity to make a call to one of the regional heads of Bass Industries in the UK. It seemed as if she had been waiting till the call had gone through, because the second Chuck got a "Hello" from London, Lenore's face began to twitch, her lips parting on a breath and shooting the soosie out of her mouth so it dropped wetly onto a multi-million dollar contract set near her on the desk. Chuck quickly tried to shove it back in, but Lenore was having none of it. As Chuck half listened to the man on the other end of the line, her face scrunched up and she started making fussy sounds. Chuck switches the call to speaker and lifted a now screaming Lenore to his shoulder, starting to jostle her and pat her back. She's having none of it, straightening like a plank, lurching backwards and nearly out of his arms. Chuck swears loudly as he pulls her closer, holding her secure as he searches for a bottle with his free hand.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Bass?"

"Fine..." Chuck bit out as he located the bottle in the warmer, pulled it out and leaned back in his chair. He shifted Lenore into the cradle of his arm, popped off the cap and offered her the nipple with the hope that her latching on would bring peace. She turned her head away. He cursed again.

"Sir, I could call you back..."

"No." Chuck said distractedly as he and his daughter engaged in a left and right head tossing bottle evasion match that Lenore was most definitely winning. Giving up he set the bottle aside and tried to settle her against his shoulder again, but flinched as her screams his a piercing note directly into his ear. He tried to ask the other man a question but then one of Lenore's small hands found a lock of his hair and yanked. His daughter apparently had super strength because he was sure she'd pulled it out by the root. He moved his head away from her grasp and turned her so she faced away from him as he tried to see where her pacifier was, but in the mean time he offered her the tip of his finger that had worked in the past. Her two perfect little teeth shut sharply into his finger. Chuck screamed and jerked his hand away.

"I'll have to call you back!" He snarled and cut the line as the other man murmured a "that's what I said..."

It was as if all she had wanted was her father's undivided attention, because when the call ended so did her screams. Chuck held her with both hands under her arms and placed her bottom on his desk with her legs dangling between them. Father and daughter looked at each other for long moments, her hiccuping now and then. Harry had always taken more after Blair, and Bart had always leaned more Chuck... except for the parts that Chuck kept insisting to Blair were uniquely Bart, at which point Blair would point out all the things Chuck did that were fastidious or just down right weird in his own right. Whatever. The boys were their boys, a little bit of good and bad from both of their parents. And this daughter? Chuck was beginning to suspect she had taken more than her fair share from her parent's commanding sides.

At seven months old she still had nary a hair on her head, but he never noticed. At this moment he was looking into his own eyes, amber eyes that were set in the shape of her mother's. He sighed and used his thumbs to softly sweep the tears from her round cheeks.

"What's say we call it a day... and tell Mommy to meet us in the park?" That seemed to earn him a smile that could win her anything... until he tried to fasten her into the stroller, and then she was screaming bloody murder again.

A month later an eight month old Lenore sits at her high chair as the family breakfasts together. Blair is reading the paper and Chuck is trying to coax their daughter into eating her rice cereal and banana puree. Her lips stay locked. Harry sits at the table, describing in detail exactly how his 16th birthday was better than anyone else's. Chuck and Blair's eyes meet briefly and they share a smile. It had been a show stopper. The Bass private jet had flown 20 of Harry's closest friends to no less than six top secret destinations around the globe, and at each one there had been a party better than the last or some adventure Harry had never taken. Blair had only blocked Harry's plan of talking the pilot into letting him have a run at the controls, but even that hadn't dampened the week long extravaganza. Chuck had sent checks to many hotels, bars and an animal sanctuary, to cover the cost of all the damages.

Lenore opened her mouth as if ready to take a bite, which made her father smile proudly that his efforts were paying off... only to have her lips slam shut the moment the spoon approached them. Chuck would swear she was snickering at him and he tossed the spoon down on the tray. "Fine. Starve."

With a roll of her eyes Blair set the paper aside and picked up the spoon, filled it and held it aloft near her daughter's mouth. "Open." She said firmly to Lenore. Bow lips instantly parted for the mush and every spoonful after that.

All and all it was a normal morning. Queue Bart.

The eleven year old cleared his throat, garnering his family's attention. Four sets of eyes locked on him and it was as if they all held their breath in anticipation.

"I've decided to stop cutting my hair." He declared almost royally.

"Oh, for God sakes!" Blair breathed in exasperation.

Chuck hid his smirk.

Harry leaned back, threw one arm over the back of his chair and did nothing to hide his own mirth. "This is going to be good..."

Several weeks later.

"She's gonna do it." Harry said as he sat on the carpet with his legs stretched out in front of him.

Bart sat a couple of feet away from Harry, keeping himself within arms reach of a ten month old Lenore who had pulled herself up to stand by the couch, her small hands resting on the cushion. Her eyes were wide and it was like you could see her want to step away from the couch, see her want to move to the coffee table. However she'd been wearing that look for the last week whenever she pulled herself up on something, but as yet she'd yet to take a step.

Bart met Harry's eyes and shook his head.

"Fine. Put your money where your mouth is, so to speak..."

Bart raise a brow.

"If I can get her to take a step... you have to spend a half hour on Skype with Violet and at the end of the half hour you have to say, 'It's been lovely speaking with you', like you mean it."

Bart lip curled in disgust for a moment before raising his brows.

"What do you get?" Harry paused and the sighed. "I'll take you to that Ice Hotel in Quebec."

They shook on it then and there.

Harry popped up on his knees and knelt on the other side of the coffee table. He gave a suspicious looking Lenore a giant smile. "Lenore..." He took out his iPhone and held it out to her. Her eyes lit up. Lenore loved nothing more than a cell phone, actually she loved nothing more than shoving one into her mouth, but regardless a cell was the flame to her moth. Bart scowled. Harry smiled.

"Come on, Lenore..." He encouraged, shaking the phone a little.

With wide eyes Lenore carefully turned to face the right direction, reached her hands out, leaned forward and promptly fell over. Right into the coffee table.

Both boys shot to their feet. The room was deadly quiet. Lenore was on her hands and knees, and finally lifted her head. She took a great breath and started to scream. It was than that the cut in her lip, that she'd gotten from bumping into the table, really opened up and blood began to pour down her face.

Neither boy had any idea how much a lip could bleed.

Bart stumbled away to throw up in a potted plant. The colour had washed from Harry's face, but he scooped Lenore up, pulling the tie from his neck, and pressed it to her mouth as he hurried to the kitchen. Not knowing exactly what he was doing, he somehow managed to stop the blood, ice her lip, and sooth not only his rightfully angry little sister but also his still heaving and distraught little brother.

A half hour later they were back in almost the same spots they'd been before the wager. Except for the fact that Lenore's lower lip was swollen three times it's normal size.

"Maybe they won't notice?" Harry mused. Bart nodded, liking that idea.

The pitch in which their mother yelled their names when she saw her youngest's face told them otherwise.

A few weeks later.

Things were getting intense for the Bass men. It had become clear that Lenore would start talking soon given that her babbling was becoming more formed. Each Bass male actively tried to ensure that their name was the first real word that would come from Lenore Bass' lips.

Harry had started to only refer to himself in the third person when around her. Bart contracted Sarah McLachlan to sing his name into a lullaby that he played in her nursery every night he crashed in it. Chuck paid everyone on the staff to hold up his picture, while he was at work, point to it and say "Dada".

It was all moot. One morning as Blair woke up in the Queen in the nursery, and she was greeted by Lenore standing up in her crib. Pulling herself up from under her husband's waking arm, she looked over and smiled at her wide awake baby. Her daughter's eyes lit up seeing her mother's no longer sleeping face, and Lenore held out her hands and half bellowed her first word.

"Mama!"

TahDAH! Okay, so a super fluffy chapter, but I've got some drama planned for the next chapter or so. I was just watching some show and they were talking about a family vacation that would make memories that no one would ever forget. I've been thinking about that a lot lately... and it's not the big planned moments that really matter to me. All my favourite memories are small ones... Like taking my best friend's daughter to the park in the middle of winter and it just being the three of us on the snowy freezing playground. It's sitting on the couch and doing nothing but doing it together. It's the way my mom can double over laughing when I've done something that I think is perfectly normal, but that she clearly thinks is hilarious. Synchronized Swinging Ballet will catch on and my best friend and I will be there when it does. Also, so when I write a chapter that seems just fluffy... I kind of find that to be the meat of the family. It's the daily stuff that you love and that you miss. And on that rather maudlin note I'll ask if I've mentioned that I'm probably moving back to Toronto?


	51. Chapter 51

Hello! Okay, so I'm usually pretty lucky in that I don't really get full, blown out writers block. Did you notice I haven't updated in over a week? This is kind of unusual for me, but it wasn't really writers block. It was mostly Hunger block. I started reading the Hunger Games and I couldn't put the frakkers down. SO good. So good in fact that as soon as I finished the third book I started the first again. Yes, you may have gathered that I have addict tendencies in my personality. I think I also needed a little break from Chuck and Blair and oddly reading about children being forced to fight to the death was it. Now, I'm writing this... with no idea of when I shall be posting it. I usually write a chapter in one sitting, but sometimes I do the ANs at different times. Hopefully you'll be reading this before the show starts up again.

Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose to try to alleviate the pressure. It wasn't working. Bass Industries was in the middle of no less than three take-overs of smaller boutique firms, and while each was going smoothly he stayed on top them to ensure that that continued. He'd been at his office till past midnight for the last four nights, and even then he'd come home, peek in on the children and then try to wake Blair up for a little grownup fun before heading to his home office and working a few more hours. She was not always game. First off, he missed his family. One night he'd come home to Harry hosting three NYU freshmen in the kitchen. He'd heard his progeny mumble "hypocrite" under his breath as Chuck sent the ladies back to their dorm lives and sent his son to bed. It would seem that Harry had done a little research on his father's teen years and was pushing a boundary or twelve. Bart had taken up tap, french horn and German, but had since dropped them all and was back to reading comic books through several hours of the day. His hair, since he continued to hold to his vow not to cut it, was given to curl, and now often swung low on his forehead and into his eyes. It drove Blair crazy. And as for Lenore's, he'd swear that the three hairs that had finally sprouted on the crown of her head were now five. He'd count them but Blair wouldn't let anyone touch them for fear they'd fall out.

Last but not least there was Blair who was asleep by the time he climbed into bed with her but left notes on his pillow expressly telling him he'd missed his window for any sort of sex with her and to come back during regularly waking hours. Needless to say he'd not been laid in days. It was never something that did well for his concentration, which was evident because he realized he'd been staring at a picture of her for the last ten minutes. He carefully put the picture of her in a bikini face down and tried to look back at his computer. Unfortunately she was also his screensaver.

His phone buzzed. He didn't even have to glance at it, because speak of the devil and who shall appear...

Three texts came in in rapid succession.

_Harry and Bart went to see the late show of the Hunger Games..._

_Lily and Rufus are taking Lenore and Chloe for the night..._

_And I'm home... all by my lonesome... except for the repair man..._

Chuck left before the coffee on his desk was cold, and he didn't stop moving until he was storming into the kitchen. He found his wife clad in what he could only describe as 50's house wife chic. The only difference between her and that era was that as she seemed to ignore him and bend down to check the oven, he saw that she was bare under the layers of crinoline. He swallowed so hard he thought his adam's apple might be in his gut at the moment. She stood up and looked at him with perfectly outlined eyes and played with the pearls at her throat.

"It's about time you got here."

"Blair, I-"

"That's Mrs. Bass to you, now enough talk. I've been waiting days for you to come... and my oven's gone cold." She said the beginning with a full air of superiority, but the end slipped off into seduction.

Chuck cleared his throat. Fuck, he loved all her games. "And... I take it Mr. Bass has been neglecting your... oven."

Blair pouted. "Oh, yes... I haven't cooked in forever..."

"That's a shame." His voice lowered in pitch and he could see it hit her. "Because I hear your pie is delicious."

"Award winning..." She stepped back in her kitten heels as he stalked her. "Or so I've been told..."

Chuck caught her under her arms and hoisted her up onto the counter and she squealed in surprise as well as the feeling of the cold marble against her bare skin.

His head was buried in the flesh of her chest and her hands were holding him there when they heard the elevator ding.

"Blair." Chuck said, tightening his grip because he knew she was about to push him away.

"Down boy. We have company."

He groaned as she slipped away from him. He bit his lip when he looked over his shoulder and caught her deliberately flashing him briefly from the door. It took him several minutes to compose himself before he was able to join her and when he did he knew he wasn't going to be seeing to Blair's oven any time soon, and it was going to be a long night.

In his living room, draped and clinging to his wife, was his sister. And she's a sobbing mess. Chuck knows his favourite anatomy will be blue for a while. He walks to the bar and pours a scotch for Serena and a double in another glass he'll share with Blair because she usually isn't up for a full one. Still not knowing what's going on he walks over to the two women, and Serena's shaky hands eagerly accept the glass and take a sip. What surprises him however is that Blair snatches the drink he had meant for both of them from his hand, and downs the double in one shot. He raises an eyebrow at her, but she merely rolls her eyes and shakes the empty glass at him, signaling she needs another.

Taking the glass he refills it and returns to hand it to her before taking a chair and observing the two friends. He listens quietly, knowing that right now Blair's focus is on Serena but he'll be hearing about this for a long time to come... and most likely a more unedited version of her thoughts. For some men they'd cringe at the coming days, but not Chuck when it comes to Blair. He does so enjoy her rants and ravings. Always has.

For now he leans back, sips the drink he made for himself alone, and observes.

Ten minutes later, Serena is finally forming coherent sentences. Almost.

"I... it just... I don't... I can't believe I... what? No." And then she's crying on Blair's shoulder again.

This goes on for another hour until Blair convinces Serena to stay the night, gets her into a bath and bed, just in time for the boys to come home.

He listened to Harry's newfound interest in archery, and Bart's short sum up of, "The movie was good, the book was better". They'd barely gotten home before Harry was making plans to head out again because he still had a few hours till his usual curfew. Chuck couldn't help my smile at his boys. He knew for a fact Harry had never read the Hunger Games, but after many big eyed looks from his little brother, he'd agreed to take Bart to the movie as if he was doing him a great favour. But Chuck was on to him. Harry also spent the whole afternoon with Bart and took him to dinner before the movie. He hadn't invited anyone else or accepted any other plans. Harry had wanted to spend time with his brother, and while he'd deny it, Chuck could tell the two had had a good time.

After Harry had gone out and Bart had started watching a DVD in his room, Chuck was finally alone with Blair when they were locked away in their master. He stood in the bathroom doorway and watched her carefully wash her face and apply several creams and lotions to different areas before she finally spoke. She turned around so she was facing him and not just his image in the mirror.

"She had an affair." Blair announced without judgement.

"Hm." Chuck said noncommittally.

Blair sloshed some lotion on her hands and walked by him, not making eye contact as she rubbed them together. "Things haven't been good in a while... they've had communication issues... intimacy issues..."

Chuck's eyes narrowed as he watched her pull the covers down with quick motions, talking all the while, talking, talking, talking... but he knew she was deliberately not telling him something.

"Blair?" He said as he stood at the end of the bed.

"Hm?" She responded and she looked at him innocently as she sat, tucked in the bed, and carefully folded the sheet and blanket over her lap.

"Who?" He pressed, knowing this was the part she'd held back.

She sighed dramatically before answering. "Carter Baizen."

Agnes Peppers sat at the craft table trying to get a 16 month old to get more paint on the paper than in his mouth and ignore the new girl who was letting another child suck on the end of a brush. She'd worked for this particular Manhattan Toddler Academy for the last 25 years and she'd seen it all. She gave Lindzi, the new girl, six months. But if the girl got any dumber she'd cut that number in half.

She heard the front door chime and the footsteps that echoed down the hall. Agnes glanced through the glass door to see who it was and saw Chuck Bass sauntering down the hall, and she knew that Lindzi had seen him too, because the girl adjusted her bra and tugged her top a little lower. Agnes just rolled her eyes as she stood up to go and get Lenore and bring her to her father in the Shoes On framed out area near the front of their suite of rooms, because she knew, while he'd do it, Mr. Bass hated taking his shoes off. One of the times that he'd done it Agnes had overheard him comment to his wife, "Try not to steal them this time...", and Mrs. Bass had laughed into his shoulder before they'd gone in to join Lenore's music class.

Before Agnes had taken a step Lindzi was on her feet, wanting to get the girl for her father.

"You're wasting your time..." Agnes mused.

Lindzi turned to scowl at the older woman and her cheap lipstick caked on her lips with the effort. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means... There are the father's that are out, the father's that are looking to get out, the father's that aren't looking but will fall... and then there's men like Chuck Bass. He's never going to cheat on his wife. Never."

"What? His wife is in her thirties. Why would he not want to trade up?" She declared haughtily and threw her shoulders back... which only made her poorly installed breast implants look more lopsided.

"I believe Mrs. Bass is out of her thirties... but even if she were 80 it wouldn't matter. That's a man who loves his wife."

Lindzi was livid. She'd only taken this job as a way to meet rich men, and Chuck Bass was on the top of her list. He was insanely rich, older, but still crazy hot... the exact man she was looking for. She just knew that she was better than just the help, catering to sniveling babies and screaming toddlers. In actuality she hated kids.

"And just what do you know?"

"I know I've been married 30 years..." Agnes pointed out, and her thoughts strayed to her own husband. She smiled. She always smiled when she thought of her Corbin even now that they were both in their fifties. It's why she knew Lindzi was wasting her time. She could tell by the way the Basses looked at each other that they loved like she and her husband did... well maybe not exactly. Agnes had also caught a few other things. She'd never brought up seeing them come out of a supply closet on Parent and Teacher night.

Lindzi ignored that and stormed off to get Lenore, who she really couldn't stand. Lenore had bitten her twice. Agnes watched her go and then met Mr. Bass by the door to say hello.

"Mr. Bass." She greeted with a smile.

"Agnes." Chuck smiled back. He really liked the older woman, knew Blair did as well, and most impressive was that Lenore liked her too... and it would seem that the list of who Lenore liked was not a long one. When they dropped her off two mornings a week, Agnes was the only person she'd go to and not scream bloody murder for an hour after her parents had left. "How's Corbin? The kids?"

"Everybody's fine, thank you." She smiled flattered that Mr. Bass remembered. She was about to say more when they heard a familiar bellow.

"No! No! NO! NO! NOOOO!" Well, it was her favourite word.

Before they could even see her, both their eyes shot heavenward at the epic sound of 15 month old, Lenore Bass' voice. When Lindzi came around the corner she had the little girl in her arms, but Lenore was doing everything in her power to put an end to that. Chuck said nothing as he watched her bat at the giant pouf of bleached hair the woman wore. He didn't blame her. It was rather frightening. He did however smile at his daughter's hair. While it hadn't fully filled in at the bottom a long swath of dark hair had grown in a forward direction that usually swept over her eyes like a pixie cut. Blair told everyone it was intentional. It wasn't.

"DAaaaDeeee!" Excited hazel eyes sparkled. "DAADEEE!"

Everything in Chuck lit up when she called to him like that. It was like she'd never been happier to see him... but she always greeted him like that. He watched her fight to get out of the woman's arms and as soon as her feet touched the ground she was tumbling as fast as she could over to him.

"Careful!" He said as she nearly plowed into a chair, but she gave the object a dirty look and then kept on going, her little arms kept reaching for him and soon he'd scooped her up and they wrapped tightly around his neck. He kissed her cheek and hugged her in return.

"Hi, baby." He whispered to his little girl and affectionately scratched her back as they hugged.

Agnes smiled. There was nothing she liked more that parents and children who were happy to see each other. Who wasn't happy? Lindzi was out of breath and clearly peeved as she joined them by the door, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"Hello, Mr. Bass."

Chuck barely nodded in her direction, but as he then made eye contact with Agnes they shared a smirk. There was a very clear and fresh bite mark on Lindzi's hand.

"Agnes, may I have a word?"

Forty-five minutes later Chuck walked in with Lenore tucked on his hip and headed straight to Blair's study. She was looking over some papers but smiled as they came in, taking the baby who was reaching for her and offering her cheek for her husband's kiss.

"Well"

"We've got a new Nanny." Chuck said with satisfaction.

Two weeks later, Agnes started as their full time Nanny, and on the second morning she bundled up a chattering Lenore and headed for tots gym, and with the boys at school, Chuck and Blair were left to enjoy their breakfast in peace. Chuck held her hand, as he liked to do, as he read the paper, but he was mystified when he heard her sniff and fight down tears.

"Blair?"

Blair looked over at Chuck with watery eyes. "She finally has her own Dorota. Every girl needs one."

"Poor Agnes."

"Shut up." Blair realized this was as good a time as any, so she switched gears. "Chuck..."

"Hmmm?" He didn't look up at her but she could tell that she had his ear.

"I'm bored..."

He paused. Looked up and then turned towards her as he let go of her hand and set the paper aside. "I can help you with that..."

Then he saw the serious look on her face and smiled. "Ah. So what would make you unbored?"

He thought she'd tell him she was ready to go back to work, but ever did she surprise him.

Leaning in she ran her hand down his cheek. "You know... You'd make quite the handsome First Gentleman of New York..."

His eyes twinkled. "So, you're saying..."

She smirked, knowing he knew where she was going and that she had his full support. "I want to run for office."

TahDAH! Okay so I'm in a horrific mood. I tried to fix it but... meh. I took a shower and the water was so hot it scalded me. Then I scrubbed my hair so hard I think I hurt my neck. Then I got out of the shower and my poor mom called me and she was crying... one of her cats died. The really shitty thing is she just lost the oldest one a couple of weeks ago. The one that passed this morning wasn't even old or sick, the vet thinks she had an undetected heart condition and she just died.

Oh, and I saw the Hunger Games. I liked the movie but loved the books. The movie was a good representation of the books but less violent, and also with like... all my favourite moments cut out.

And for the first time I may have to start writing things down, especially a timeline. All the stories I had lined up focused on one character and I have to flush out how they'll mesh and when. Geeze. The work. While I'm here I should do a little reminder that I haven't done in a while. I don't really proof read... like ever. I've always told myself stories in my head for as long as I can remember. Fics are just me writing some of them down and sharing them with whoever would like to read them.


	52. Chapter 52

Hello! So there were a couple of calls that I will heed in this chapter. One was some fulfilled CB adult time and the other was Blair with the kids. Done. Oh, and after the first bit we jump a bit. The first jump is like a year and a half. The second is like six months after that. I think. We'll see what happens when I write it. Oh, and have you guys seen the DB sneak peek? I am not going NEAR certain threads on the Girlsss site. I like a lot of people there and have fun posting on the site, but if I had to guess? There's a lot of vomiting all over the threads right now. So I'll stay clear for a bit. Other people puking makes me hurl too. I will say this... her makeup and hair are stunning in the scene. Here we go...

They sat outside her bedroom door, Blair and Chuck on a lounge, Harry leaning against the far wall, and Bart sat on the floor with his back against the wood of her door. It was going on midnight and none of them were remotely tired or could even imagine shutting their eyes... Because Lenore Bass was being sleep trained. She was not happy about it and she made her family well aware of her rage because she'd been screaming for a solid 78 minutes, which would go down in family history as the longest minutes of their lives thus far.

Interspersed with her screams she would also throw in just the right words to cut each member's heart out. Which went about like this, "Dadee, I sad!", "Har, I scared!", "Barth, I sorry!", "Mama, I wuv you!".

The boys' eyes were locked on their mother. "Please, can we just go get her? Who cares if she never sleeps on her own? We'll marry her off at 18 and then everyone will be happy."

Chuck didn't move, he tended to think like Harry at the moment, but he knew he had to back Blair up, and besides, she was right. Lenore was almost a year and a half old and it was time that she started to sleep on her own... which wasn't fully on her own, just in a room by herself. At bedtime Blair had sat in a rocking chair and read aloud from Vogue as Lenore held her bottle of warm milk, sucking and listening. This wasn't any different, this was how she usually went down. Finally her eyes began to droop and the nipple fell from her mouth. Blair continued softly reading for a few moments until Lenore had fallen into a deeper sleep before she set aside the bottle and magazine and gently lifted her girl up and slipped her into her crib. What difference there was was found in Blair not crawling into the queen size bed in the room as someone in her family often did, but tonight Blair slipped from the room and gently shut the door, where she was met by her anxious husband and sons.

Lenore's silence lasted all of 15minutes, which is the about the time she realized... her mother, nor anyone else planned on coming back. So here they were, waiting and on edge. They fell asleep in the hall, and were woken, not by a demanding Lenore, but by a startled maid who had come upstairs to collect some linen the next morning, only to find the older members of the Bass family passed out in the hall. They stretched the stiffness out of their bodies as Chuck waved the apologizing maid away.

They all stood outside the door, able to go in now, but tentative to do so. The four of them stood close to her door, listening.

"It's quiet." Chuck practically whispered.

"Too quiet." Harry said ominously.

"We should go in."

"After you..."

They both looked at Blair. "Ladies first."

Blair rolled her eyes. "Chickens."

She wouldn't say it or show it, but Blair's stomach felt like lead. Steeling her resolve she opened the door and stepped in, feeling the three of them practically hiding behind her. Blair gave herself a little shake and called out her normal morning greeting.

"Good morning, darling."

Silence.

"Maybe she's sleeping?" Harry offered quietly.

"Maybe she's on the ceiling ready to drop down and chop our heads off like an alien ninja."

They all turned to look at Bart incredulously. He just shrugged as if to say, "what? It could happen."

They moved as a group towards the crib until they could see inside of it. She wasn't sleeping.

Lenore sat in the centre of her bed and it was as if she'd been waiting all night for this. With a familiar scowl on her face, she wordlessly scooted around on her diapered bottom and gave them her back.

Blair rolled her eyes. "That's my girl."

Without asking permission she scooped the young toddler up, hugged her still, stiff little body. Lenore struggled in her arms.

"Guess what we have for you... for being a big girl and sleeping all by yourself..."

She stilled. "A pwesent?"

"Uh huh." Blair nodded, playing it up.

"One from each of us..." Harry added with a cheesy over the top Ringleader grin.

"Now." She grumbled in declaration and concession.

Lenore let each of her brothers and her Daddy kiss her cheek before going downstairs to ready the presents that they'd bought days ago in preparation of this moment. Blair carried her daughter to the changing table and lay her down to change her diaper and dress her for the morning. She ignored the spiteful looks the not even two year old gave her the whole time.

"Mama, I no like it."

"I know." Blair sighed and kissed the tiny frown off her daughter's head. "Me either."

And she didn't. This was her last baby, and her only little girl. She loved her every second and every second she somehow loved her more, it wasn't unfamiliar because she felt the same way about her sons, but it was also special with each. This night of starting to let go for both of them had been hard, but it was time for Lenore Bass to at least sleep alone in her room. This whole night would bite Blair on the ass two months later when Lenore would insist on a big girl bed rather than a crib, and her mother had very little ground to argue against it. It wasn't that she was worried her daughter would fall out of bed, but that she knew she would be uncaged. Lenore Bass could potentially be mobile in the house. That was something that would keep Blair up at night.

A year and a half later the Basses were on a high. Blair had easily won the mayoral race, and as Serena had said at the beginning of the small, family celebration, "And she can now boss around the entire city instead of mostly us." Chuck had had the tact not to laugh. He was the only one.

This brunch was about family and close friends but in a few days there was going to be a grand public inauguration. Blair stood with Lily as people mingled around the buffet. She smiled as she saw a dapper, nearly eighteen year old Harry chat with his grandfather, Harold, over canapés. He had visited two universities already and was planning a trip to Yale in a few weeks and she knew her father was laying Bulldog pride on him heavily.

Blair spotted an almost three year old Lenore talking her cousin, Chloe, into boosting more cookies from the table. Chloe looked about a heartbeat away from crying when Eric stepped in and got both girls a macaron.

An almost thirteen year old Bart sat in a high backed chair, eating grapes and watching people with an eye that he got from both his parents. He seemed to sense her gaze, and he tilted his head to meet it. As if he didn't know it drove her crazy, he wound a long chestnut, unproducted lock of hair around his finger, which was easy to do given the way it now curled past his shoulders. Her face tightened. His remained impassive.

"You can't kill him, dear." Eleanor said as she joined the two women. "Too many witnesses."

"Are you sure? I am the Mayor now..." Blair commented but was lightened by her mother's words.

As her mother went on to say how proud she was of Blair, Blair felt a small hand slip into hers. She didn't have to look down, because she knew that hand, but she did to smile down at her little girl, who grew more stunning with every day. Wordlessly Blair picked her up and Lenore's small arms crept around her mother's neck as she rested her dark head against Blair's shoulder. The women continued to talk until Bart caught his mother's eye again.

With innocent eyes he took the curl and laid it across his pursed upper lip as if it was mustache. Blair felt her ire boil inside of her.

"He does love to push buttons, doesn't he?" Lily remarked trying to hide her smile.

"I remember telling a certain girl that she was not to touch any of my expensive shoes while I was out... only to get home to find each one set on the shelves in a different place than where I'd left them. As if she wanted me to know what she'd done..."

Blair scowled but her mother's knuckle gently knocked her under her chin. Blair couldn't help but smile as the highly familiar gesture. After, they looked over at the youngest Bass boy and Eleanor sighed. "Well, you should at least be grateful for the hair he has."

"It is stunning." Lily added in.

Even Blair begrudgingly agreed. They boy had grown an impressive and glossy head of long hair.

"He's probably got the best hair in the family now." Eleanor commented with a shrug as she went off to find Cyrus.

None of them noticed the scowl Lenore hid in her Mother's neck as she looked at her brother's admired locks.

That night Chuck sat as his desk, immersed in work until her heard small padded footsteps coming down the hall. He say back with a smile as she appeared in the doorway to his office.

"Hi, Daddy." She said and he knew he'd always see her like this. Almost three, with a delicate face, sparkling eyes, and in a pink fluffy robe over matching silk pajamas, tiny hearts on the cuffs and collar, pink slippers and the teddybear he'd brought her back from London last year tucked under her small arm.

"Hello. What are you doing up?" He tried to sound stern but didn't manage it.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Ah." He held out his hands and she quickly shuffled over to him and he lifted her up into his arms and settled her in his lap.

"Mommy's sleeping. Will you play with me?" She asked with giant, manipulative eyes.

He chuckled. "No. It's after midnight and so I won't play with you."

"Pleease..." She intreated.

"No." He kissed her forehead. "But I will take you upstairs and tuck you back in."

"Okay, Daddy... but ky have some milk first?" She asked as she played with his fingers.

"Can I." Chuck corrected her before answering.

"_Can I,_" She emphasized sweetly as she repeated her question, and jerked his finger ever so slightly to hard to the left. "have some milk?"

Chuck flinched, but didn't pull his hand away before answering her. "Alright-"

"I'll wait here." She cut him off.

He looked at her oddly for a moment but then stood up and settled her back down on the leather chair. "I'll be right back..."

As she watched her father walk away her look of innocence turned to one of victory.

Chuck was back, short minutes later, to give her her milk and then take her upstairs and tuck her in. He fell asleep reading Fancy Nancy for the hundredth time and woke up at 2am as her arm flung out and hit him in the nose. He managed not to curse. Barely. After creeping out of her room carefully, he made his way to his own, to slip into bed with someone he knew wouldn't punch him in the nose. Maybe. At least there was a good chance that she wouldn't.

He changed and slipped into bed, smiling as Blair turned to him even in sleep, and they wrapped around each other before he to fell into slumber.

Dawn was barely touching the room when Blair was awakened by the hot lips of her husband on her skin. She turned onto her back to give him greater access to her, and to all the parts of her that were now begging for his attention. Blair rolled her body against his, trying to get him to go faster as her pulse and need picked up.

"Hurry!" She panted as he seemed hellbent on taking his sweet time.

He lifted his head to look up at her, a wicked smile on his face. "You can boss the entire city of New York if you want... but I will not be rushed..." He leaned down to kiss the perfect dip of her belly button.

Her hands fisted in his hair and she pulled his head up to commanded his smirking face. "I've been bossing you around for forty years. Now get on with it!"

She shoved his head lower and being ever attentive to his wife's demands, Chuck Bass complied.

An hour later as they both lay, replete in their temporary satiation of each other, in a cocoon of limbs and warm damp blankets. As their skin cooled they were both about to drift off when... the screaming started.

Blair and Chuck lurched up in bed at the sound of Bart's tortured screams. They grabbed their robes, pulling them on as they ran from their room to their youngest son's, bumping into Harry in the hall as they went. They all came to a near tumbling stop as they shouldered into the room.

Bart's screams still echoed in the room but the boy was now sitting up in stunned silence on his bed. His family's eyes nearly fell out of their heads as they took in the sight. Bart sat, amongst the sheered locks of his hair. He picked up lock after lock, and stared at it as if trying to establish in his own mind that each was not still attached to his head. He also looked like he was about to pass out.

As the other three moved from the shorn hair, they looked at what was left on the top of his head. It looked like he'd had a haircut by a one handed blind dog. It was long in some places, short in the others, and in some areas his scalp was almost grazed.

Harry was the first one to move past stunned long enough to form words. "What the hell did you do now?"

Bart looked at his brother as if he were the crazy one for thinking he'd done this himself.

"Don't look at me like that. We all know you lean weird." Harry scoffed.

Chuck rubbed his forehead wondering if his first call should be to security or the police, when he felt Lenore nudge herself in between he and Blair. She tugged on her mother's robe and Blair managed to drag her gaze from Bart's mangled head to her daughter's perfectly sleep tousled curls. With innocent eyes, Lenore fingered one of her curls as she asked. "Mama, is my hair the best in the family now?"

Blair instantly knew what Lenore was talking about, and even the members of the family who hadn't been a party to Blair's conversation with Eleanor could figure out what had happened. There was a maniacal hair bandit loose in the house, it just wasn't an intruder. It was Lenore Bass. Blair and Chuck looked at each other, not knowing quite what to do. You never quite read about this kind of thing in a parenting book...

Blair dropped to a knee, taking her daughter's hands firmly in hers. "Lenore! Where did you get scissors? You could have hurt yourself!"

Flabbergasted, Bart gasped and pointed to the damage she'd inflicted to his mane.

"From Daddy's office..." Lenore pouted. "But tell me. Is it? Is my hair the best now?"

"I am not answering questions right now, young lady." Blair said firmly. "You are not allowed to use scissors and you are most certainly not allowed to cut hair. Now go to your room until your father and I come and talk to you."

"Mama-"

"Now." Blair commanded firmly.

Lenore stomped all the way to her room, which wasn't easy given that she only weighed about thirty pounds. She did however manage to slam the door quite loudly.

"Can I laugh now or is it too soon?" Harry asked to loosen the tension.

His family cast him dire looks. "Come on!" He snickered. "On day we're going to look back and this is going to be HILARIOUS."

"Harry, make sure Bart doesn't have an aneurism and take care of his hair." Chuck said as he ushered Blair out of the room. As they were headed down the hall they heard Harry announce to Bart. "Well, little brother, it's time for you to be re-introduced to a little someone we civilized gentlemen like to call... a professional barber. You're gonna hate it. This is going to be great!"

They got to their room, shut and locked the door and flopped down on their bed. A few minutes later Chuck propped himself up on an elbow to look down at her.

"Say it." He smirked.

"Thank GOD!" Blair breathed in relief and with a happy kicking of her legs on the bed. "If she hadn't have done it, I would have. Think of what the inauguration pictures would have looked like! They'll be perfect now!" She looked at her husband pointedly. "I'm buying her a tiara for this. Bart's wrath be damned."

Six month later...

Blair stood at the centre of the stage and flashed a fake smile out to the crowd here and there. She was standing next to a blowhard politician from upstate and was trying to subtly breathe through her mouth to avoid taking in the cheap cologne that was reeking off of him. She glanced to the side of the stage and gave a real smile at her family who were standing there to support her. They all looked perfect... and co-ordinated since they would be coming out towards the end, after all the speeches. This event was getting a lot of press, one because it was the opening of a women's health clinic that was getting some heat and controversy, but also because all the Basses were there. While Blair and Chuck attended many events, they seldom did so with any of their children present, let alone all three.

The MC was just finishing the intro for the Blowhard, Blair was going to close the speeches, and she gave Lenore a tiny wave and a smile before she turn forward to coolly, begrudgingly clap for the Blowhard.

The loud pop, like a car backfiring but different, that sounded out of nowhere surprised her, especially since after she heard it she couldn't seem to hear anything. The world had gone soundless. At first nothing seemed different about the last moment to this one, but then she saw the reaction of the crowd, they seemed to be screaming, but she couldn't hear them. Then they were all trying to run, to clear away from the stage. Why were they acting this way?

Perplexed she turned her eyes to Chuck, hoping he'd have answers or at least be behaving normally. They were in a public place after all. Were was the civility? She couldn't comprehend the image in her mind when she looked at her husband. He looked terrified. Chuck Bass looked terrified? Her eyes sought the children then and the distress she saw on their faces should have sent her into a panic, but it felt distant, like something she was watching on TV. Shaking her head to try to clear it, she looked around again and saw people weren't just clearing the audience, the stage was emptying to. It seemed like she stood at the centre of the world. Alone.

The sun shifted from behind the buildings, reflected off a million windows and into her eyes. Blair lifted her hand to shield them, and saw the red on her fingers. She looked at them and couldn't understand. Then she looked down.

She saw the red stain growing, flowing, melting across the crisp whiteness of her blouse. As she realized what was happening she turned again to her husband. Her hearing returned as her eyes met his and her voice whispering his name was the first thing she heard since being shoot and the last thing she heard as she collapsed to the ground.

"Chuck..."

TahDAH! So... I'd been fluffy for a while. Thought I'd spice it up. Actually I knew this was coming since I thought to put her in politics, so...

FYI, you cannot joke with the student loan office. I'm doing this thing where I put off repayment because I don't make enough to payback my loans and like... survive, so I forgot something on one of my forms and had to call them. I was like, I make under 2K a month and my rent is like 1K, so there's not a lot of wiggle room! Me, hahahaha. Him, dead silence. I quickly moved on to thanking him for his time and his helpful answering of my questions. I may have also sworn that I'm looking for a job that pays more.


	53. Chapter 53

Hello! Do you know what hurts? While out for a walk... getting caught in a hail storm. It was insane. It was blue sky and puffy white clouds... except for the one above me. I thought, okay, I can handle a little rain. Then the hail started and it was like I was in an action movie and getting attacked. I ran for cover... but there was none to be had. The pellets of ice pinged off of me! My biggest piece of advice? Whatever you do, don't look up. Fuck that hurts. And yes. I saw people safely in their cars laughing at me. Here we go...

Chuck flinched as Lenore pulled his ear and he tugged her hand away but she just laughed and her dark curls bounced around her face. He tried to frown but she had his number and it had little effect on her mirth.

"Stop it or I'll pull you down." He warned her.

"No you won't." She told him and then looked over to smile at her mother and return her wave. "I'll cry and there are lots of people around."

Chuck rolled his eyes. She was ever her mother's daughter.

"How long do we have to be here?" Harry said under his breath, but all the while he smiled and waved at the crowd.

"Till the end." Chuck reminded him. "And then you need to shake at least ten hands and kiss at least four babies."

"Ha. Ha." Harry replied but knew he'd be free to go after a photo op when the speeches were finished.

"Do I have to kiss a baby, Daddy?" Lenore asked as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You are a baby." Harry mocked.

"You are!" Lenore's head shot up and she scowled back at her brother.

"She was clearly switched at birth if that's her best retort." Harry replied drolly.

"She's three. You're the eighteen year old arguing with a pre-schooler." Chuck reminded his son.

"She started it."

"Yes... that makes it much better." He caught his younger son pushing at his now regularly trimmed short hair. "Bart, stop scratching at yourself. People will think you have lice."

Harry took a step away from his brother. Bart scowled at him, as it to make clear that he didn't have lice and he was indignant over the implication that he did.

"Don't look at me like that. We all know that you came back from sleepover came that summer with more than a tan and a new found knowledge of woodland creatures."

"One time..." Bart grumbled under his breath.

Chuck smiled at the memory. Blair had nearly disowned Bart and hadn't wanted to let him into the house... or near her own hair, when he'd come home from summer camp a few years ago with some uninvited guests. A massive head full of lice. She'd called in a team to delouse the boy, throwout everything he'd come back from Canada with, and steam clean the house from top to bottom. Chuck was convinced that her reaction was part of the reason Bart had lay down the declaration that he wasn't cutting his hair. Spite could be a powerful motivator.

He was still chuckling as he glanced over at over at his wife. It was in that instant he heard the shot. Saw her shot. It felt like he'd been shot. He screamed her name.

"BLAIR!"

People were screaming and running away from the stage. Panic had taken over. The crowd. The security. The children. Everyone but Chuck.

Chuck saw her confusion as she looked to him. He saw her fall. He knew there was nothing on this Earth that would keep him from her. On instinct he shoved a screaming Lenore into Harry's arms and shouted a terse command at this head of security.

"Get them out of here!"

"NO!" Harry yelled as he was being pulled away and Chuck glanced back for a split second.

For that brief instant he caught his father's attention, Harry understood exactly what his parents needed of him. What his family needed of him. He suddenly became aware of his terrified sister's strangle hold on his neck and the way his shaking brother clutched his arm. He stopped struggling against the force of the many security team members who were rushing them towards the car. He let them herd him and his siblings into the safety of their limo and get whisked away.

The car didn't stop till they pulled up at their apartment, and then several members of the security team ushered them up to their penthouse, securing it and them and then clearly out to hold their positions. After all the chaos of the past few minutes, the Bass children were suddenly, frighteningly alone in their living room. Lenore was still latched onto Harry and he sat down on the couch and rubbed his sister's back. Bart collapsed next to them and Harry put an arm around him too.

"She'll be alright." Harry promised blindly and he slipped into a name he hadn't called her in years. "Mama will be alright."

Chuck had one goal. Get to Blair. Shoving his way to her seemed to take forever, but by the time he stumbled to her side it felt like they were the only two people there.

"Blair!" He'd meant to shout it but it came out on a choked sob. Her eyes were closed. She wasn't moving. He checked her breathing. Her pulse. She was still with him and he let go of the biggest fear inside him. He knew this wasn't good, but at least now he knew there was still a chance.

Chuck had never had any medical training but it didn't take a genius to know the pool of blood that was starting to form at her side was bad, stealing away her life, so he took off his coat and used it to put pressure on the wound, used it to buy them time. She cried out in pain and her eyes finally opened.

"Shhh!" He tried to comfort her. "I'm sorry! I just need to stop the bleeding!"

"Chuck..." She murmured, somehow feeling more at peace with him with her. "The children?"

"They're fine." He quickly assured her. "Don't try to talk. Save your strength! Help will be here soon..."

His head darted around to see if he was lying. He might be. He could see that the medical teams were being kept back until the shooter was secured, but he could also see several of Blair's staff and his own arguing with police to allow them in. Chuck had no idea who or where the shooter was, he could only hope that help would come soon.

As he felt her lose consciousness again he couldn't help it. He screamed for them to get over here. He screamed for help.

His voice roused her back and her eyes flickered open. "Chuck..."

He looked down at her and she was so stunning to him, still after all these years, that she took his breath away. Her words ripped out part of his soul.

"Tell the children that I love them... with all my heart..."

"Stop it!" He commanded her, pressing harder on her wound. "Help is coming!"

She tried to raise her hand to touch his face, she loved his face, but she didn't have the strength. "And you... You are the love of my whole life... I love you..."

"Don't! You don't have to say this now! You're going to be fine!"

She whispered his name again as her deep, dark eyes shut... and then her body went limp under his hands.

"NO!" He screamed at her. Instinct took over. She was his life. She was not dead. She was not dying. If help wouldn't come to them, then he would get her to help. He hoisted her into his arms and staggered to his feet. With the sole purpose of getting her to the nearest ambulance he started to move. Fast. He spotted two medics signaling to him and he began to run to them. Her head bounced limply off his arm and he tucked her tighter so her face rested against his shoulder. Each step he took he felt more of her blood pass out of her body and run down his. He felt like this was his last chance to save her. To save himself. Because he knew if she died, then he would die too.

With the impression of a dream it felt like he wasn't moving, that help got further away as he trudge towards them, but finally he was there. A paramedic scooped her out of his arms and onto a gurney. She was loaded quickly into an ambulance, with Chuck falling in behind her to sit at her side. To hold her hand as the attendants worked to stabilize her. To beg. To beg her to stay with him.

TahDAH! Okay, it's a little short, but what can I say? I wanted to end it there or I'd be writing to long. I can't feel my ass at them moment. Not pleasant. So I wanted to give a little bit of Chuck's point of view of the shooting, but also that Blair's thoughts at that time would be of him. And I couldn't help that I have certain things about CB on my mind as I did it. I've read here and there about their love being dead on the show. I don't believe that. There's been too much. We've seen too much. Maybe they're dead for some viewers, but... Regardless of anything... they're not dead to me, and I don't buy that their love is dead on the show. I refuse to believe it. I think they were meant to be and they will find their way back to each other. As a great support is trending on Monday... I'm Team Blair and Chuck. All the way.

Oh, and I threw in the lice comment because of my poor niece. She has it. Again. The kid has it all the time it seems like... or at least this is the third time in the past couple of years. I worked in childcare for a long time. Lice is evil and it's like you're at war. I had it once and it took a MONTH to be fully free of it. I won't tell you about how a friend came over and was helping me and I'd just gotten ABBA's greatest hits and was playing it as she combed and picked and coated my hair in Vaseline... I won't tell you how to this day I can't hear an ABBA song without having the STRONG desire to scratch my head.


	54. Chapter 54

Hello! How are we all tonight? I was catching up on the Voice as I wrote this and you know what struck me again? GG ruined Rolling in the Deep for me. It makes me think of almost happy Chair. I'm tired of them being apart or almost together. I want them. By 5x24 and then I want together CB to the finale. If I don't get CB by 5x24... I walk. BUT tonight I'm a massive optimist. I think... we're going to see a together Chair before summer. Why? Because CB are never over. That sentiment has bled into this chapter. Here we go...

Chuck sat in a private waiting room. His elbows rested on his knees and his hands held his head. He was so still it was nearly frightening. No one came near him. This was how Lily found him when she walked into the waiting room a few hours later. She's spoken with the hospital staff already. She knew Blair had lost a great deal of blood and was still in surgery. The whole thing had been ridiculous. Some radical had taken aim at the other presenter on the stage, but had missed and shot Blair by mistake. It was all so random and senseless. It was what happened when guns were put ahead of thought and words.

Lily was known for having steel in her veins, and she needed all of that to shore herself up to speak to Chuck. This wasn't easy even if she had always accepted and understood her son's dark side. He was always himself, Chuck Bass, but so much of him was made up of his love for Blair Waldorf and vice versa. She'd never voiced it, but she'd always had the worry of when they'd be parted permanently. It had always been a frightening thought, because she knew when one died a huge part of the other would go with them. Lily had hoped and still hoped that that day was not for many years to come.

Clearing her throat she walked in and sat down next to him.

"Charles..." She urged him to swim up from his thoughts and join her.

He inhaled sharply as he sat up, but still said nothing.

"Charles, I'm so sorry..."

"She's going to be fine." He cut in.

"I know." She soothed. "I'm just sorry that this happened."

"Me too."

"I've just come from your house..."

"The children?" Chuck asked tensely.

"They're fine. Serena is with them."

He nodded but said nothing. He was glad they were safe, he'd actually made sure of it quite a while ago, but now all his thoughts were with his wife.

"They want to come to the hospital..." Lily said cautiously.

"No." He said.

"Charles, they've just seen their mother sho-"

"I remember." He snapped bitterly.

"I know." She softened, knowing her son was as traumatized at seeing Blair shot as the children were. "But they need their father right now."

His jaw clenched. He knew she was right. His children need him and he had to be there for them, and he also knew that it was what Blair would want. So even though a part of him wanted to sink away, to hide until she was with him again, he started to try to swim up, back to the real world, back to his children.

He nodded. "Have my security and Serena bring them here. They'll want to see Blair when she comes out of surgery."

Lily, in her strength, didn't comment that Blair might not come out of this. "Of course. I'll call Serena right away. And Charles... I've had Dorota send over a change of clothes, so perhaps you could put them on before the children get here?"

It sounded like a question, but they both know it wasn't. Chuck looked down at himself and acknowledged the dried blood that coated much of him. Blair's blood. A part of him clung to the stains. The were evidence of her life, and it made him feel closer to her. But also it was the physical representation of his self at the moment. He felt mutilated by what had happened and his clothes reflected that. But he knew it would hurt the children, so he consented to a change.

In a hospital shower he peeled away the clothes that had dried to his body, her blood colouring his skin. He stepped under the hot stream of water and washed her off of him, hating her blood going down the drain, hating that it felt like it was taking her away from him.

Finally he got out of the shower and dressed. When he walked back into the waiting room it was no longer empty.

"Daddy!" Lenore screamed for him and she fought to get out of her brother's arms.

As her little legs raced towards him, he felt a moment of peace. No matter what he loved and had his children. Their children. He had them, and he knew Blair would never leave him or them. She'd fight for them, fight to get back to them.

Lifting her up, she wrapped her whole body around him. A second later he was nearly knocked over by Bart, and Chuck managed to get an arm around his youngest son too. He looked up and saw Harry, standing a step away. Waiting.

He let his younger brother and sister gain comfort first, and after a few minutes, Bart stepped away, and Harry moved in to hug his father. Chuck was struck by the realization that his oldest was not a boy anymore. He was a young man, and growing into a man to be proud of.

He clasped a hand on Harry's shoulder in thanks, knowing the rock he was being for his younger siblings. Blair was extremely close with all her children, but the bond with her first born, the one she'd raised on her own for a few years, and the one she'd protected from Jack, was a special connection. Blair and Harry were also at times so very much alike, and so Chuck knew how hard this was on him, yet here he was, putting the family first.

They all walked over to the chairs, Lenore in her father's lap, and the boys flanking each side. Chuck hadn't noticed at first but Serena, and Nate were now here as well, but after a nod, they sat off to the side with Lily, allowing the Basses to sit quietly together.

Finally a doctor came in and everyone stood, on edge, and wanting.

"She's out of surgery. The next few hours should tell us more."

Chuck didn't like that answer. It meant more waiting.

"Can we see her?" He asked, but he knew regardless of the answer he was going to have his wife in his line of vision in the next half hour whether it was protocol or not. He was a man who got what he wanted. As soon as Blair was settled into her private room, the family was allowed in.

Dorota has spoken in a hushed Polish to Blair, before having to rush out as she began to cry.

Lily gently touched Blair's still hand and told her that her parents would be here soon, then she went to wait in the hall to join Nate. They'd been warned that too many visitors were not a good idea. Serena stepped up to the bed next and she struggled not to cry. In the time since her divorce, Blair had once again proven to be her best friend, and had supported and reality checked Serena many times over the many months. It was Serena's turn to support now. She did it in the only way she knew Blair would respond to now.

"B, I know you're going to be fine... but just incase you need more reasons to fight to get back to us... If you don't wake up, I'm going to marry Chuck. Yes. Incest be damned. And then I will proceed to make his life a living hell. It won't be hard, what with you being gone. But I'll give it the old Constance try. Public drunkenness. Affairs with board members and janitors alike. It will humiliate him. As for the children... Harry? I'll disinherit him and have his acceptance to Yale revoked, right after I burn every item of purple clothes he owns. I'm going to send Bart to a public school that will make him wear street clothes and force him to speak on command. Oh, and your little girl? I am going to dye Lenore's hair blonde, change her name to Zoe, and tell everyone that she and Chloe are twins."

The children looked at her with horror and she frantically mouthed, "Never! I promise!"

In a louder voice she spoke to Blair again. "So, hurry and wake up, because only you can stop me.

"Mother, please don't leave us to her..." Harry said, still disturbed by his aunt's made up imagery and playing along.

Just after a softly crying Serena left the room, Lenore, who had been asleep in her father's arms, awoke now and lit up at seeing her mother. "Mama!"

She pushed out of Chuck's arms and stumbled over to the bed. She couldn't climb up, and so she grabbed the only part of her mother she could reach.

"Mama!" Lenore yelled again, pulling on her mother's hand. "Mama, wake up! I want to go home! I want some chocolate milk the way you make it! Harry doesn't do it right! I want you to brush my hair. I've been good all day, so I want two stories tonight!"

Lenore frowned as she still got no response, and so she tugged harder. "Mama, come on! Wake up!"

Even as young as she was, Lenore's frustration scared her and she turned to her father with big eyes that were full of tears. "Daddy, why won't she wake up?"

Chuck scooped her up to hold her close. "Shh, baby." Chuck soothed. "She'll wake up soon, but right now you need to go and have a sleepover with Aunt Serena and Chloe."

"NO!" She bellowed. "I don't wanna. I want to go home. With you, and Mama, and Harry and Bart. Alls of us."

Chuck sighed and kissed her scowling brow. This is what happened when you raised a child who was used to getting what she wanted. "I know... But Mama has to stay here for a little while, and I'm going to stay to-"

"To wake her up." Lenore demanded.

"Lenore..."

"Promise me, Daddy. Promise me you'll wake her up."

"I promise, baby. I'll try."

"Don't just try." She insisted.

"Alright, Lenore. You win." He couldn't help but smile at hit little terror. "I promise I'll wake her up."

"Good." She nodded, still frowning at him to communicate the strength of her will.

"Now, I've promised you something... so, you have to promise me something."

"Nah uh." She shook her head. "You never said."

Harry managed a chuckle. "She has a point, Dad. You caved prior to negotiations... she has no legal cause to listen to you at this point."

"Do you want to go to State school?"

"Touché..."

"As I was saying... You all are going to go to Serena's for a little while-"

"No." They all turned at Bart's voice.

"Bart?" Chuck asked.

The youngest Bass male stood by his mother's bedside, he'd been staring quietly down at her during the whole exchange. He very gently moved a curl of dark hair off her forehead and smoothed it into place on her shoulder.

"I want to go home." He said firmly. If he couldn't stay with his mother tonight, he at least wanted the security of his own home, his own bed.

"Me too." Lenore copied.

Chuck was about to argue, but Harry spoke up. "I'm with them. I want to go home, and I can take care of them. We can take care of each other."

Chuck looked at his son and thought about that promise. He nodded, trusting Harry to take care of the family while Chuck was taking care of Blair. With that decided the children carefully said goodnight to their unconscious mother, and headed home with their security detail. The room was quiet in their wake and he turned in the dimly lit space to look at his sleeping beauty.

"Alone at last..." He mused as he shut the door and walked to her bedside. He kissed her lips reverently before straightening away from her. He pulled a chair closer and sat down. He thought for a moment he'd talk about their children, how proud he was of them, how they had made them, but in the end he had only one demand to put to her. He stood again, leaning over her, taking her stunning face in his hands to speak quietly, yet intensely to her.

"You are not leaving me, Waldorf. You owe me forty more years and I want them. All of them, every minute and second. You and I are not finished. We will never be finished."

He knew she wouldn't wakeup, she was too heavily sedated, but he also knew she was in there somewhere. And hours later he was rewarded for knowing her so well.

"Bass..." Came a dry croaked voice.

He launched himself forward, out of the chair and to crouch by her side, her hand clutched in his.

"Don't tell me what to do..." The hint of a smile curved her dry lips. It was enough to tell him that she was not leaving him. Ever.

TahDAH! This chapter was like pulling teeth. Hated it. Now, I'm trying to work out the order, but I'm thinking I'm jumping a little. It's Harry's story next, but with stuff with all of them. I'll layer in everyone. It seems to be going in ages of the kids, so Bart next, and then Lenore. I'll finish with CB. Each one's individual story will be kind of like this. A few chapters.

Can I tell you I kind of love mean Serena... actually I always love not perfect characters. I think it's why I still love Blair. She's flawed. Anyhoo, I kind of love that Serena is taking out her anger, passive aggressively, through Gossip Girl. Taking it out on Lola. Taking it out big time on Blair. Oh, S... this is going to be interesting. I hope.


	55. Chapter 55

Hello! Okay, so I was going to just jump to the next phase of the story, but there seemed to be a few people who expressed interest in seeing what happened just after she woke up. So this is a chapter for that. Oh, and for some odd, odd reason... I seem to be able to write while watching the Voice. But then again, I think I may just have a Voice addiction. If Lindsay gets voted off, get ready for an irate Author's Note. Aaaaaand... I just started watching a Twilight movie. I actually don't know which one? Aaaaaannnddd... I just turned it off. I'm a little all over the place at the moment. Fingers crossed then for this chapter! Here we go...

Harry rolled out of bed before his alarm went off. This wasn't new, because he'd always been an early riser. Actually he seemed to do well without much sleep at all, and got about five to six hours a night, which his mother would usually droll out that he was just like his father. Harry paused at the thought of her. His mother. His eyes shut for a moment and he inhaled and let it flow out of him slowly. He was smiling by the time he was done, because after the rocky first days since she'd been shot, it felt like the knot of fear was always tight within him. Luckily, he knew and was coming to trust that she was going to be fine.

He padded across the room to look at himself in the mirror. Not bad, he smirked confidently at himself. Stretching at he walked to the bathroom, he showered, groomed and got dressed. This is where his usual weekday morning ended. Since the day his mother had been shot, last week, Harry had taken over keeping his little brother and sister together. In the beginning, it had been easy. They had all been in survival mode the first couple of days, but thankfully, before their eyes, Blair started coming back to them, bit by bit. And so bit by bit, the Bass children stopped functioning as a coherent team that put aside their quirks to function as a unit, and fell back into their usual states of Bassness. WIth the possible exception of Harry. Every since catching her trying to schedule a breast lift and a tummy tuck, 'Since, I'm in the hospital anyway..." Chuck was still living at the hospital, and so Harry was still charged with keeping them in line.

Two days ago their parent's had decreed that it was time they all stopped hiding out, and that they were all headed back to school. With them still MIA it had fallen to Harry to see that it happened. After trying to get the pains in his ass, otherwise known as his little brother and sister, to school in the morning, Harry had vowed to never procreate.

Yesterday morning had started out by getting flashed by his nudist of a brother, who ignored him when Harry told him they had to go to school. Or more precisely, Bart rolled over and mooned him. Not the best start and it was even worse when it was followed by Harry walking out of the room and into the hall... to find out Lenore had barricaded herself in her room.

"Lenore, you're going to Pre-school." He tried to command her as he knocked on her locked bedroom door.

"Nooooo, I'm nooooot." He could hear her smirk through the door.

"Yes, you are." He jiggled the handle.

"You're not the boss of me!"

"Yes, I am! I am the boss of you until one or both of our parents is in our visual line of sight, so you open the door, right now!" He banged on the wood, but it hurt his hand more than it damaged the door.

"I not going to listen to you! I only going to listen to Bart!"

"BART DOESN'T TALK!"

"I kn-oooOOOooow!" She sang through the door.

Harry's eyes stayed locked on the Picasso that hung in the hall, but he raised an index finger at his, still naked, brother who lounged against the wall, as he bit out. "One word. Don't say one word. And for fuck's sake, put some clothes on."

He'd gotten a maid to get the master key and unlock the protestor's door. He'd then brawled with the three year old to get her uniform on, and then hauled her downstairs for breakfast. Upon getting there, he saw Bart standing at the fridge, head tilted back, and emptying a can of whip cream into his mouth. He licked the spout.

"I'm not even going to ask where you got that." Harry muttered, still sweating from his struggles with Lenore, and knowing that Blair Waldorf Bass had never allowed a can of spray whip cream in her house before in her life. It was made fresh by their chef every morning. Spray whipped cream ended up being Bart's only breakfast, while all Harry could get into Lenore was macarons. He shoved two into his own mouth.

Not surprisingly, two out of three Bass children were late for school. What was out of place was that it was Harry who ditched. He spent the afternoon with his father's old friend, MaryJane, and Misfits. It'd been a rough day.

But never let it be said Harry couldn't rise to a challenge. He was a Bass after all.

The next morning he was up and dressed and ready for the pains, otherwise known as his siblings. He decided to tackled the big one first.

"Get up." He said coolly, flicking on the over head light. "And if you think I'm waking you like you are a sweet kitten, angel baby, the way Mother and Father do, you've got another thing coming. Be down at breakfast in twenty minutes."

A mildly disgruntled Bart sat up... and nearly passed out. His room... Everything was wrong. His contemplative reading chair was to the left of the window, rather than the right. All his clothes, that had been strewn about when he'd gone to sleep, were gone. Every picture in his room was tilted four centimeters to the right. His life-sized Mountie statue's hat was crooked. There was only one person who would have done this. Identical dark brown eyes met. One pair in shock, and the other in victory.

"That's right." Harry smirked, knowing he was about to deliver the death blow. "And if you give me any trouble... I'll go after the comics."

"Graphic novels." Bart murmured lamely.

"Whatever." Harry derided. "Get up. Get dress. Get the hell to school."

Bart looked at him in horror, before he dashed to get ready. Harry gave himself a small moment to congratulate himself, before heading into battle again. He went to Lenore's room. While he'd had the lock to her bedroom door dismantled, he'd neglected to do the same to the bathroom door. It was as if she'd been waiting for his arrival, which she probably had been given the quick scurry of feet, the slamming of her bathroom door, and the clear click of the lock.

He was ready for her.

"Lenore... I have a present for you..." He called through the door.

The door cracked open and one hazel eye peeked out at him. "What is it?"

"Just a little something Violet sent all the way from London..."

"Where the princesses live?" He could hear the delight in her voice.

He nodded, knowing he had her. "Where the princesses live."

The door whipped open and she clapped her hands. "I'm ready for my present!"

There had been a sting of presents for her, all of which were presented after the completion of a certain task. A new headband from London to get her out of the bathroom. A new dress from Bergdorf's to get her into her uniform. A bracelet to eat breakfast and a sparkly pair of shoes to get her into the limo and to school.

When they pulled up outside the school, the driver opened the door for Harry and Bart onto the street, and Harry came around to let Lenore out. He pulled the door open and she sat demurely in her carseat, her small feet crossed at the ankles. A little lady, even when strapped in.

"I'm ready for my next present." She declared royally, having caught onto her brother long ago.

"There is no, 'next present'." Harry explained.

Her features fell into s scowl. "But I not in school yet... and I wanna another present."

"I thought you might say that... that's why you're all Bart's problem now."

Bart's mouth fell open, as he realized his brother was leaving the tiny commander to him to get to class. Harry cast a smirk at Bart, and then leaned into the limo to gently knock Lenore's chin with the knuckle of his index finger. "Give him hell."

The twinkle in her eyes, told him she would. Harry whistled as he walked away.

In another part of the city, Chuck read the text on his phone and looked over at his wife. "Harry got everyone to school."

"Are they all still alive?" She asked dryly.

"He doesn't say..."

"Pity." She said as she she rested back against the pillows. "Do you know what else is a pity?"

"Don't start." He commented as flipped through his phone.

They lay in the queen sized hospital bed together, side by side, which is how they'd been for the last couple of days. At first, he'd just been locked to the chair at her side, but as she'd healed, and they'd started taking her off the various machines and tubes that had been helping her get better, he'd started getting closer. Finally, after he'd ordered the larger hospital bed, he was able to lay by her side. The first time he had carefully slipped in beside her, had been the first time he'd slept in days. It had been out of his control once he had felt the familiar warmth of her body against him, and the soft rhythm of her breath that he knew as well as his own. The smell of her. The weight of her hand as it came to rest on his chest. All of it had lulled him to sleep. If she had died, he knew that he would never have truly slept again.

So now he lay in bed with her, as she watched old movies, and did nothing more strenuous then heal... and exact revenge.

"I know you know I'm right here." Serena said indignantly from the chair beside their bed.

"Chuck, did you hear something?" Blair mused innocently.

Chuck said nothing as he picked up the newspaper and let the friends work it out. This was a situation he'd stay well away from for as long as he could.

"B! I was just trying to help! You admitted yourself that you didn't even hear me!"

It was true. Blair hadn't had a TV movie moment and heard her friend talking to her as she lay unconscious. But her sons had been more than happy to fill her in. Snapping she finally turned her attention onto her best friend.

"We have a contract, and I believe everything you said is in DIRECT violation of said contract! Just what do you have to say for yourself, Serena Van Der Woodsen?"

S cringed. "I hate it when you use my full name..."

"Then you should be repentant."

"I am!"

"Then please, make it clear that you are still cognizant of our understanding."

"I promise, should anything ever happen to you, to no matter what, never marry Chuck Bass. I will also ensure that when he remarries-"

"I'm never remarrying." Chuck commented, not looking up from his paper.

Blair scowled at him for a moment. "This is a private conversation." She told him crossly. "But yes, yes you are."

"I'm not."

"You are!" She snapped. "Should anything ever happen to me, you are most definitely going to remarry! You will not be unhappy, Charles Bass!"

"I won't. I'll just take care of the children, make money, and pleasure myself to your memory... until I can join you."

"That's so romantic... and really disturbing." Serena grumbled, her face crinkling at his final imagery.

Blair sighed in frustration. "Regardless! You are not a part of my deal with Serena so... SHHH!" She slapped his leg. Hard. He cringed, but she caught the hint of his smile.

Blair waved her friend on to continue. Serena sighed. "When he remarries-" She had to pause as Chuck tried to interrupt again, and Blair viciously pinched his leg to keep him quiet. "I will make it my primary objective to determine that she is not a gold digger. That she is not callous, cruel or uncultured. She will be a fit match as a wife and mother to the Bass family. She will also have never shopped at Walmart."

"Thank you." Blair said. "And the new part?"

"I will never touch a hair on Lenore's head." Serena sighed in exasperation. "You realize that last part makes it sound like I'm going to do her physical harm?"

"Dying her gorgeous, perfect, dark brown curls... blonde... That is physical harm."

"What's wrong with being a blonde?" Serena huffed.

Both brunettes looked over at her. "She's a Bass."

"Fine." Serena agreed. "Can we just hug now?"

Blair finally smiled. "Fine!"

Chuck ignored getting jostled by the women. He only commented when he thought it was getting out of hand. "Careful." He reminded them. "You still have stitches."

Still laying in each other's arms, they looked over at Chuck with doe eyes. "Which brings me back to my original point... Since I'm already here... What harm would a tummy tuck and a breast lift do?"

"For the millionth time. No. Especially since you're just recovering from a gun shot wound."

"Pshaw!" Serena giggled. "Think of the convenience?"

He glowered at the two of them. "This bed is too crowded."

He pretended their laughter annoyed him, but it really sounded like music. Later, after Serena had left, he lay with Blair in his arms, and he knew that everything felt like perfection.

TahDAH! Okay, so there was your filler chapter. We're moving onto a more Harry focused story next, but keep in mind, I'll still be writing everyone, because... let's face it, I've created a rather co-dependent family. They're going to be all up in each other's business. Plus, I'll be probably be layering in the set up for Bart's story.

Oh, and... SO many of you make me smile when you write about how you don't want this story to end. Many of you are too funny. The kicker review? The smartypants that threw my own words back at me (you know who you are). lmao. You are not getting forty more years of this story... but you may get forty more chapters. But don't hold me to that.


	56. Chapter 56

Hello! Do you know what no one made clear to me when I said I as going to walk the sea wall that goes all around Stanley Park? That the thing is 10 kilometers along. And for all my American readers (I went and looked it up) that's over six miles! My feet! My precious, giant feet! We've jumped a couple of years. Hopefully, I'll explain it all. You all must trust me by now, right? Oh, and this turned out to be one of the chapters that I wrote in more than one sitting. It's longer than my usual, and should have been two chapters, but I felt like making it one? Does that count towards my forty as two? I think it should. Here we go...

Chuck stood in the hall off the lobby entrance, and kept a keen eye on their private elevator. He'd talked to her assistant and he'd left work early in order to catch her. Ever the man with the plan, he wasn't going to blow it now by not paying attention.

It had been a busy few days, and Chuck was focused on catching her attention. Work, for both of them, was as always busy, but on top of that Harry was home for Reading Week from his second year at Yale, and so Blair had scheduled all their time around spending every second they could with their first born. On top of that, was Blair's pressing concern about certain aspects of Bart's, but had yet to address it with him since she wanted it to be done as a family. On top of that, Lenore was having nightmares... which seemed to end up with her sleeping, sandwiched, between her parents for the last few nights.

Last night...

Chuck's jaw clenched, and he twisted against the restraints that bound him to the bed. The silk ties pulled taut as his wife's tongue traced his belly button, and began a hot, wet path lower.

"Blair..." He moaned as she teased him, denying him the connection his body desperately craved.

She blew across his heated, exposed skin, and he could feel her devious smile. "Patience, my love..."

And then the greatest example of their need for haste, made her presence known. Both Chuck and Blair froze at the knocking at their door.

"Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door..." Chuck groaned in frustration, his head smashing back against the pillow.

"Lenore." Blair echoed, vexed.

This was confirmed a few seconds later. "Mama? Daddy? I know you're in there."

"She doesn't." Blair insisted. They'd had the master suite soundproofed years and years ago.

"I'm scaaaaared." Lenore called out at their continued silence, sounding not at all afraid. After another minute of silence they hear the distinct sound of a small foot connecting with their door.

Rather reluctantly, Blair untied her husband. There was no point in attempting to ignore the, rather over the top sobs, now coming from the far side of the door, because the sound had taken the wind out of Chuck's sails. And blood out of one of his favourite body parts.

Getting up, Blair slipped a robe over her corset and tossed Chuck his pajamas. He missed catching them, because he was busy rubbing the feeling back into his hands, and they smacked into his head, mussing his hair. Blair walked over to the door, set her hand on the knob, and looked back at Chuck.

"Ready?" She quirked a brow.

Chuck sighed, looking down at his now clothed, and softened body. "I'm ready."

Blair pulled the door open, sharply, to reveal a nightgown clad and disgruntled, Lenore.

"That took a long time." Lenore said with narrowed

"So does Santa... when he's returning all your presents." Blair pointed out.

Matching scowls faced off until Lenore's eyes caught a detail.

"Mama, why are you wearing lipstick?" Lenore said, looking suspiciously at her mother's dark red lips. "You're supposed to be sleeping.

"So are you." Blair commented dryly.

Her expression instantly changed to one of doe eyed innocence. "I had a bad dream."

Her tiny hands came up to cover her face, as slight sobs started to shake her shoulders. Blair rolled her eyes as she looked over at Chuck.

"There's so much to be said for the power of nature vs. nurture..."

"Shut up." Blair snapped.

Lenore snickered as she peaked at her parents from between her fingers, and Blair's eyes snapped to her. "That goes for you too. Now, back to bed."

Lenore collapsed like a wet noodle onto the floor, huge sobs now shaking her small body. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Lenore, why don't I take you back to bed and lie down with you?" Blair suggested.

"That's a trick! I wake up and you're goooooone!"

She should have known that ditching her daughter after she had fallen asleep wouldn't work twice.

"Dar-"

"Don't you love me at all?" Lenore wailed before her mother even started talking.

Blair and Chuck shared a look. A look that said they were just too tired to tackle her tonight. Without another word, Blair stooped down and Lenore crawled into her mother's arms. With a little huff, Blair lifted her up and carried her to their bed.

Lenore snuggled in against her mother. "This is nice. Isn't it nice?" She asked with sleepy, happy, victorious eyes.

Blair couldn't help but smile, and she stroked her daughter's hair and kissed her forehead. "Yes, baby. This is nice."

With their five year old between them, Chuck and Blair lay quietly, listening to her soft breaths. Listening to Lenore fall asleep, as they looked at each other over their daughter's head.

"Goodnight, Chuck." Blair smiled at him.

"Goodnight, Blair." Chuck smirked back.

Now...

Chuck was brought out of his memory by the familiar clack of heels coming across the lobby. He smirked as he saw her press the button for the elevator, and then watched her step in. Chuck quickly slipped in as well, waving her security away, and pressing the button to shut the door. He pulled her into his arms, tightening his hold, keeping her back locked to his chest.

"Madam Mayor..." He husked into her ear. "Alone at last...

She gasped as heat and electricity coursed through her body, as it did whenever this man touched her. Blair's hand shot out and stopped the elevator with a press of a button, just before her hands slipped over his, holding him as he held her.

His lips were wetly worshiping her neck, while his hands slipped out from under hers to creep down her thighs, pulling up her skirt. He paused.

"You're bare..." He managed with a croak in his deep voice.

"Hmmm... I have been all day... for you..." She felt his already hardening body turn to steel. "I knew you'd find me..."

"I'll always find you." He vowed into the dampening air of the elevator.

"I know." She breathed in the scent of them that only became more heated.

They were late for dinner that night.

The next morning was Harry's last morning home before he headed back to Yale. While the five Basses sat together, around the dining room table, Blair hit her fork against her crystal juice glass to get her family's attention. Chuck and Harry sat back in their chairs, observing her, Lenore scowled since she still wasn't pleased with her mother for her telling her she was sleeping in her own bed tonight, and Bart kept shoveling cornflakes with chocolate chips, and pineapple juice into his mouth.

Blair cleared her throat subtly and began the speech she'd practiced in her head and for Dorota. "Children... There comes a time in your life when you start having feelings... physical feelings... towards other people. This is healthy. Now, some people, and groups in society, would tell you that those feelings must only be towards those of the opposite sex. But in this house, and hopefully everywhere soon, that is not the case, because we love, respect and accept everyone's feelings about sex."

Lenore frowned over the word she hadn't recognized in her mother's speech. "What's sex?"

"Oh, boy." Harry smirked. He folded his hands over his chest, twirling his thumbs, and settling back to enjoy this.

Chuck rolled his eyes. He'd known that she'd had a bee in her bonnet over this for a while, but he had thought he'd calmed her down. He really should have known better.

"Blair... It's fine." He said, reaching out to put a comforting hand over hers.

"No, Chuck, it's not fine. He has to know that he doesn't have to hide anything from us. That we love him, and want him to be happy."

It was about this time that Bart figured out that he was the 'him' she was referring to. The food that was on his spoon, hovering before his mouth, fell back into the bowl. He looked to his brother with a, "What's up with her?" expression on his face.

"She thinks you're gay." Harry chuckled. Bart's eyes merely widened fractionally.

"No, I think you're Bart. I just want you to know that whatever you're feeling is fine, healthy and normal." She drove home quickly.

Blair knew how hard the early teen years had been for Eric, how alone he'd felt with feelings that were different than his family's and many of his friends, and she knew what the near tragical results of that had been. She didn't want Bart, or any of her children, to ever feel like that. She wanted to know that she and Chuck loved them unconditionally, and that they supported them and wanted them to be happy.

Her current concern had sprung from Bart, once again, being Bart. It had crept up until she'd been thinking about it a lot. Bart had always been a bit of a loner, but he never seemed lonely. He had them, he had Harry, and he had a couple of friends... she didn't count the couple from Winnipeg, Bart continued to Skype with. And maybe she'd been too busy, and maybe she'd been a bad mother she'd drill to herself over and over, because he'd been fourteen before she'd noticed it. He'd never had a girlfriend. Bart had never even commented on liking girl at school or anywhere. So, Blair had watched and waited... and nothing. Now he was fifteen, and while most of the other teenage boys she'd ever known had been hormone crazy at that age... Bart was still Bart, and didn't seem inclined towards anyone.

She began to think maybe she was looking for the wrong signs, and then it hit her that maybe he was afraid to talk to them about how he was feeling, if he was, in fact, having feelings towards other boys. It had set her in motion. She'd started with hints. This was her sledgehammer.

"Boys liking boys is just fine. Girls liking girls is just fine. Everybody just likes who they like." Lenore declared with a shrug, not getting why it was even a conversation.

"Well said, Lenore." Blair nodded at her proudly and in agreement.

"Mother, given that he buys two issues of comics... because the pages of the naked or nearly naked women always end up getting stuck together... I'm guessing he's leaning towards girls." Harry said dryly.

"Graphic novels." Was all Bart said in response.

Blair realized that this was about as far as the discussion was going to go, but she felt better knowing she'd put it out there. She shot Chuck a look that said, "See. That wasn't out of place at all." Then Lenore spoke.

"Mama, what's sex?"

"Great." Blair huffed.

"Blair? A word?" Chuck cut in, wanting to talk to Blair alone, but also wanting out of the room.

"I'm eating breakfast." She told him primly, and picked up her spoon.

"Blair."

"Fine."

They excused themselves to Blair's office, where they sat on the couch.

"I thought we'd discussed-"

"I know." She sighed. "I was just worried."

"Don't worry."

Both Chuck and Blair looked up in surprise at Bart who stood in the door way.

"Bart, I'm so-"

Bart gave her a rueful smile. "It's alright. I'm alright." He emphasized the last part.

She smiled back at him. "You're right."

A few hours later they all stood in the foyer, and watched the doorman take Harry's bags down to the limo.

"I don't want you to go." Blair pouted and hugged him to her.

"You're the one that always wanted Yale for me. Don't pretend like you didn't know it was in New Haven."

"You don't come home enough."

"I love you too, Mother."

"I love you, my baby."

"Mama! I'm your baby, remember!" Lenore pulled on Blair's skirt.

"God. Mother, please take it back before she tries to take me out in my sleep." He teased as he ruffled his sister's hair. Her jealousy was the stuff of legends... and she was only five.

A few minutes later, Harry was gone, back to Yale. Blair sighed a little unhappy. She was glad Harry was doing well, but she missed him. Chuck kissed her forehead, knowing how she felt, because he felt the same way. They remaining four Basses retired to the living room, with a maid bringing them something for each of them to drink. Now that it was quiet, Lenore's one track mind clicked back in. Blair and Chuck hadn't gotten out of the Sex talk with Lenore, and had given her a basic, age appropriate explanation. It still wasn't sitting well.

"Daddy, I just don't think it's nice to put your parts in other people." Lenore frowned. "When I get in trouble for hitting, Agnes says I have to keep my hands to myself."

"You're right, Lenore." Everyone but Lenore raised an eyebrow at that one. "It's not nice at all."

"Chuck!" Blair snapped. She'd just spent the morning making sure her son's sexuality was developing normally and her husband seemed bent on mucking up their daughter's.

"I'm not going to let any boy's parts near me. Ever. Gross." She made a face.

Chuck smiled happily. "I'm going to hold you to that... I'll have my lawyers draw up the papers."

In New Haven a few months later...

Sarah Logan rolled over in the large bed she shared with her boyfriend, reaching for him, only to find him gone. She sat up, disgruntled, but then remembered he had an early class this morning. It was Friday morning, so Adam actually had the same AM class as her twin brother, Noah. This wasn't a big deal, in fact she enjoyed mocking them on her being able to sleep in while they were in class after a night a standard university night, but it always meant the same thing. It was just her and Him there Friday mornings.

Flopping back against the pillows again, she looked up at the ceiling that Harry Bass built. That was a little bit of an overstatement, because they were in the penthouse of a century old building in New Haven, but it was true enough.

It seemed like every aspect of her life had become connected to Harry Bass, and it there were times she had to remind herself that that wasn't the case.

She and her brother had grown up in a comfortable house in the Chicago suburbs, right down the street from Adam. It had been the most natural thing in the world for the three of them to become best friends, and had felt just as right when, at 15, she and Adam had become more than friends. Noah and Adam had known since they were eight that they wanted to be doctors. They'd worked like crazy in high school, and pulled off the dream of Yale. Sarah... Sarah was smart, and easily got into Yale as well, because where else would she go? If they were going to Yale, than naturally she would too. She kept quiet her dream of going to Columbia. She'd always loved everything about New York, but how did you go to Manhattan when the two other parts of yourself were going to New Haven?

So, off to Yale they went. The boys had applied to room together, but had been placed in separate room in the same dorm, with Sarah down the hall. It was as close to perfect as any of them could imagine. Adam's roommate was a shy bookworm from Idaho. Sarah's was a peppy former cheerleader who'd be gone as soon as she'd pledged. And Noah's? Harry Bass.

Sarah had hated him on sight.

He was everything that her brother and boyfriend weren't. He was cocky. He was constantly up to something. He wore a smirk on his face 90% of the time. By all rights he should have been flunking out... but he pulled top grades without even trying. And the boys and he got on like a house on fire, so much so, that without even realizing how it happened... their three piece became a quartette.

She'd braced herself to endure a year of him and his extravagance and debauchery, figuring the end of dorm life would mean an end to life with Harry, but it hadn't turned out that way. Harry's family had purchased a huge, multi-bedroom apartment for him just off campus, and he'd invited the three of them to move in with him. The cash strapped boys had jumped at it, but Sarah had mulled over starvation in comparison to life with Harry. Once again, she just shut her eyes and followed her brother and boyfriend, because she didn't really know what to do without them.

Now she was living with him, not just seeing him for meals and out going out to bars and clubs, and a great deal had been as she's suspected. But there were things that caught her by surprise. Like how when he'd moved in, she'd wondered into his room, the master suite, as his valet was unpacking for him. She rolled her eyes, but as she'd wandered by the fireplace she'd noticed the carefully set out family photos, and known he'd been the one to place them there. She'd picked up one of a dark haired, laughing little girl, and that's how Harry had caught her.

"Stalking?" He asked, and her head had shot up. She had the feeling that he'd been watching her for sometime, with those eyes that seemed to see everything.

Needing to defuse the moment, she went with snark. She held up the picture and questioned. "Lovechild?"

He'd merely smiled. "Sister." Sarah had tried to block out the warmth that was in his voice just at speaking about her.

She'd also been surprised at his closeness with his little brother, who would come up regularly, and Harry would forgo the ruckus nightlife to hang out with him. They'd sit in the living room playing Wii or watching Hockey. Given that Harry knew Sarah was a Hockey fan herself, they'd invite her to join them. Since the younger Bass never spoke, and Sarah couldn't bring herself to ask Harry, she'd never found out why the native New Yorker wore a Leaf's jersey.

He also talked to his parents. Everyday. It was clear that he actually liked his parents. Who did that? Sarah hadn't called her mom since New Year's.

All of this made Harry an enigma... and she hated that. So instead of going out into the apartment, and most likely finding him sprawled in chair in the dining room, drinking coffee while reading the paper, the light making his dark hair seem lighter... She'd hide in her room. She pulled the blankets over her head, and let the familiar scent of her and Adam rush in, taking away all thoughts of Harry... who she told herself she hated, for the millionth time.

That night she was saying it to not only herself, but to Adam and Noah too. They'd all gone out, like they'd done a thousand times before, and had decided on a designated driver before they even left the apartment. It was Harry's turn. And what had he done? Within minutes of getting a booth, he'd done three shots, and was currently seeing to having a steady stream of drinks delivered to their table. He had clearly been successful, because a tray was delivered promptly.

"Sweetie, relax." He used the nickname she'd always hated, but had never convinced him to drop. "You know he'll just call his car service."

"So, we're just supposed to leave the car here?"

"It's _his_ car." Noah teased. Harry's parents had bought him a hybrid that was built like a tank. The Basses seemed to be against personally driven vehicles, but since Harry had wanted one, they'd insisted on the safest one on the market. Sarah almost smiled thinking about the Basses. She'd met them numerous times at this point, but she never got tired of it. Mr. Bass was excellent to talk to about anything in business, which had always fascinated Sarah, while Mrs. Waldorf Bass knew everything about New York. Hell, she was the fricking mayor! Also, Sarah didn't like them because they were some fluffy, nice couple, because they weren't. She liked them because of their intelligence and wit. When she talked to them it was like going rounds with a professional, you needed to be on your toes, and it always got her going. There was only one other person that made her feel that way.

"Well, we know he's not driving it tonight." She bit out.

Adam smiled at her and pulled her into his arms, and she let him kiss the anger out of her. Sarah pulled her lips away from his at the sound of cheering from across the pub, and rolled her eyes as she saw Harry stand atop the bar and declare he was buying drinks for the whole place. The roar of the crowd nearly blew out her ears, and her eyes were nearly permanently damaged from rolling as she watched three sorority girls climb up with him and ply him with shots.

"Rock, Paper, Scissor than on who's driving tonight?" Noah asked her, both of them knowing that Adam had already gone over his limit, while neither of them had had anything tonight.

Still pissed off at her brother for standing up for Harry, Sarah quickly downed two shots in quick succession as she glowered at him.

"I guess I'm designated driver, huh?" Noah teased, not bothered by it at all.

Adam laughed and then took off to hit the washroom, leaving the siblings alone in the booth. Sarah continued to shoot daggers at Harry from across the room, while Noah contemplated his sister with a slight smile on his face.

"What?" She snapped when she couldn't take it any more.

He shrugged and held up his hands. "Nothing... it's just you and Harry..."

"He's ridiculous."

"He's Harry." Noah shrugged with a smile. "And you can't fool me. You're not as opposed to him as you pretend to be."

Her eyes flashed. "What?" Suddenly the young man in question stumbled over to their table, a Phi Beta Cappa under each arm, and her question, of asking her brother what he thought and if he thought Adam knew, flew right out of her head. Harry was disgusting.

A few hours later it was pushing past 2am as the four of them exited the bar. Harry was more than a little happily buzzed. It had been a great night. Harry had always had a group of friends, and followers. He knew he'd gotten more than his fair share of the Waldorf charm, thank you Granddad, but he'd also gotten the keen eye of his mother and the suspicion of his father. With all his friends, there were only a couple Harry actually trusted. When he'd gotten to Yale, he'd met Noah and Adam, and all his instincts were that these were two people that weren't after him for anything. They were also ridiculously secure in themselves, so they never seemed to stress about how much wealth and power Harry had behind him. After only a year of school, they'd become two of the closest friends he'd ever had in his life.

However they were a package deal. Sarah came with them. She'd made no secret of the disdain she had for him, and that was often a relief to Harry. It made it oddly easier on him, kept him in line. Kept him doing the right thing. In his whole life, there'd never been anything he'd ever wanted that he couldn't have before. Until...

"To the Bat-mobile!" He shouted, changing the track of his thoughts... and nearly fell over.

The boys laughed and Sarah scowled. Harry tried to look contrite, placed his hands over his heart, and attempted to sound sincere. "I'm sorry, my friends, I seem to have imbibed a few too many. My greatest apologies. Please, allow me call my car service."

"You're not forgiven and you're an ass."

Harry put on a mask of deep offense. "That cannot be true. My parents are lovely... and human. Neither my siblings, nor I, are even part ass."

She rolled her eyes, and then squealed in surprise as she was half tackled by Harry. He held her tight and started spinning. She laughed because she couldn't help it.

"Say you forgive me, or I'll never let you go!"

Saying and hearing those words had a sobering affect on them both. Harry stopped spinning and set her down.

"I'm going to puke." She muttered as the spinning, the alcohol, and Harry continued to affect her.

"Me too..." Harry seconded, feeling the same way. He pulled out his phone to call his car service, but Noah shook his head.

"Don't worry, man. I got this."

Harry happily handed over his keys, and they all started walking across the parking lot to his car.

"Shotgun." Sarah declared and shot Harry a look.

Harry just smirked. "As if I want to sit in the front seat. That's for the help."

Adam held her back.

They all climbed into the car, Noah in the driver's seat, Adam behind him, Sarah in the front and Harry behind her. As they pulled out of the lot Sarah turned on the radio and both she and Harry groaned as LMFAO started blasting through the car. Adam and Noah started seat dancing, and Sarah declared that it was Harry's song. Sexy and he knows it. It almost got awkward, until Adam said he thought he was going to hurl.

A few minutes later, they were back, joking and laughing as they crossed one of the last intersections before their home.

Light filled the car suddenly, and Harry's mind was taken by it for a moment. His eyes were locked on Sarah's still laughing as she turned and looked at him from her seat. The near white light caught the highlights in her hair, setting off the blonde in her red. Her green eyes shone, both from the brightness in the cabin, but also with true mirth. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She was the last thing he saw before the truck slammed into them.

TahDAH! Okay, so I should TOTALLY get credit of two chapters on this one! Totally! So, I brought in some new characters. Any questions so far? I'll do more explaining in the next chapter, but this was a little intro. It's also long because in addition to Harry's story, I still wanted all our Basses in it. Plus, as I was writing this I realized I gave CB elevator sex. I don't think I'll ever find elevator sex really sexy again after watching GG, but I thought I'd try to take it back for our couple.

PS- After watching a few episodes... is it naive of me to really believe that... Ice loves Coco?


	57. Chapter 57

Hello! Can you tell that I've usually updated before now? I usually try to put up something at least once a week. It's my pattern. Start up the Voice, open a document and write. But my pattern was thrown off this week. Please tell me there are others out there who are still yelling at their Kindle and the sky over the fact that the last Divergent novel doesn't come out for another YEAR. I have read all the books. I have put the finale of the Voice on, and off we go. This one goes out to the reader who says this fic is making her rethink children. My work here is done. Here we go...

The bedroom door creeped open, and a small, dark, curly haired head poked out. In just above a whisper she called out into the hall. "Mama... Daddy... I'm aaawwwaaakkke!"

She paused, listening, before she called again. "Daaaddy... Mamaaaa... I'm hungry... I wanna get a snaaaaack... if you want to stop me... say something nowwww...?"

She waited another minute until she was satisfied with the continued silence in the hall, and then with a smirk curving her mouth, she stepped out of her bedroom. With a skip in her step, her slippered feet headed down the dimly lit hall. She knew by the clock at her bedside, that it was very late at night. 3:48am. She bet that none of her friends were up this late, and she'd bet none of them were going to get the treats she was.

Various small lights were left on at night, so it was easy for her to make her way down to the kitchen. Once there, she went over to the breakfast table, and pulled out one of the chairs. It took all her weight and effort, but she managed to push the chair across the floor to the cabinets. As ladylike as she could manage, Lenore climbed up onto the chair and then onto the marble countertop. Balanced on her knees, she opened up one of the cabinets, and pulled out a box from a shelf.

"Heeelllloooo, macarons..." She smiled into the box.

The second bite was half way to her mouth when the kitchen light snapped on. She dropped the evidence, but it took a moment for her eyes to adjust enough for her to see she wasn't in as much trouble as she thought.

"Good evening..." She smiled.

Her brother raised a brow at her.

"Bart, get the milk." She ordered with confidence.

With a shrug he went to the fridge, took out the milk, and grabbed a couple of glasses. Ten minutes later they sat at the table, stuffing macarons in their mouths and drinking milk. The only difference between them was that Bart was taking bites of pickled eggs between macarons bites.

Both nearly spit out mouths full food when heard their parents voices coming down the stairs. The Bass children weren't ones to hide from their parents, plus in the times they had it had led to hearing them make funny noises behind recently slammed doors. So, so out walked Bart and Lenore. Their disheveled looking parents were at the hall closet, and it was clear they were headed out.

"Where are you going?" Lenore demanded hotly. They'd promised to always say goodbye to her before they went anywhere, and they clearly hadn't done that tonight.

Chuck and Blair froze in the act of him helping her on with her coat, and they looked at their youngest children with wide eyes. Eyes that shielded shrewd minds, that were clearly zipping for words.

"What are you doing up?" Lenore demanded when they didn't speak immediately.

"What are you doing up?" Blair went on the defensive.

"I asked you first." Her daughter pouted.

"This isn't how this works." Blair said coldly. She could feel her patience slipping. She wanted to run, to fly, to move time faster to the moment when she could be sure life could go on living as it had, but this was not that moment, and so she pushed on. Her children who were safe, and in front of her were slowing her down.

"It is right now." Lenore argued petulantly, ignoring her brother's stilling hand on her shoulder. Bart could sense the tension. Something wasn't right.

"Enough! Upstairs! In bed! NOW!" Snapped Blair, in the angriest voice she'd ever used with any of her children.

It had the effect of a slap across Lenore's face. The colour washed from the little girl's skin, and without another word she ran up the stairs. For a second it looked like Blair would follow her, but then she licked her bottom lip and punched the elevator button. Chuck's jaw was clenched as he pulled on his own coat, and he looked at his son, who waited for any word from them, quietly.

The elevator door opened and Blair stepped in. Chuck took a moment to walk to Bart, place his hands on his shoulders and squeeze them tight. "Take care of your sister. We'll call soon."

Bart nodded, and watched his father join his mother, before both of them disappeared behind the elevator's closed door. Alone in the foyer, he rubbed his fists, hard, into his eyes, to relieve the tension, and then started up the stairs. He headed straight for Lenore's room, and knocked softly on her door, opening without waiting for her permission. She was sprawled on her bed, curled away from his eyes and the door.

"I'm not crying." She sniffed into her pillow, rubbing her face into. She fake cried all the time, but she hated it when anyone, even her family, saw her cry for real.

He sat down beside her, leaning against the headboard. With a gently hand he started to rub her back in soothing circles, just like their parents had done for them over the years.

"Something is going on..." She whispered, trying to think of what would have made her mother react like that.

Bart's hand stilled. There was only three things that could make their parent's that frightened, and since two of them were safe and sound in a white, silk canopy bed. It could only mean one thing.

"Harry." Bart whispered.

The helicopter had been waiting for them at the landing, ready to go. They were in the air in short minutes. They flew fast to the car that was waiting for them in New Haven. Chuck and Blair had never moved so fast in their lives. He never said a word. She never stopped talking. His hand was latched to hers the whole time. Hers squeezed his tighter every second. The slowest moments were the last ones. When they were so close to him, but he was not yet in their sights.

They stormed through the Emergency room doors, Blair snapping orders out and getting the immediate results she always did when she used that tone. An orderly took them up to the third floor of the hospital, and the Basses were practically running down a long, nearly empty hall. Blair froze as she spotted the first child she and her husband had ever made. She knew everything about him. She knew he was in pain.

"Harry!" She cried out, and then was running to him.

Harry lifted a weary head at the sound of his mother's voice, and he pulled himself up from the floor. In seconds he was in her arms, and while she knew he was practically a grown man, he'd always been her baby, now her 5'11 baby, but he felt different in her arms. He was solid, he was safe, but he felt different. She pulled back from where she'd wrapped herself around him, and her eyes sought every detail in his expression. There was a vacant look in his eyes that she'd never seen him wear before. She swallowed hard and stepped back to let Chuck have his turn.

Chuck's arms wrapped around his son, and he held him tight, and then he held him tighter. He finally pulled back a little and took his son's face in his hands. Chuck's eyes, the eyes that saw everything, searched Harry's face.

"I'm okay." Harry insisted in a dry voice. He then looked to his worried mother. "Really. I'm okay."

Neither one believed him. Harry may have walked away from the devastating accident, with only minor injuries, but it was clear he was anything but okay.

A few days later...

Harry awoke with start. Sweat poured from his body, and he felt blinded. He blinked, and it took a moment to realize it was the early morning sun heating his face. He sat up, opening and closing his bandaged hands, the pain of moving the burnt skin felt better. It made him feel, at least, awake.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and planted his feet on the floor. Every time he fell asleep it was the same thing. He'd heard that some people blocked out traumatic accidents, but he hadn't. He couldn't.

He felt the impact. Heard their screams, as well as his own. Saw the light go to darkness. He remembered that, at a quick glance, he could tell that at least one of them was already gone. Harry remembered stumbling out of a car, his hands grabbing the handle on the car door, and yanking. It wouldn't open. He pulled again and again, kicking the door, and then heaving backwards until the unlocked door gave. Harry flew back onto pavement that was littered with broken glass. Crawling up on his knees, his fingers fumbled with the seatbelt until it clicked, and then he pulled the limp weight of the body. He heard a popping noise and saw flames lick up from under the hood of the car.

Panicked he'd pulled the unconscious body away from the rapidly growing flames, and Harry knew, from a lifetime of movies, that there was an explosion coming. He'd frantically run to another car door, and tugged on the handle. A part of him knew that it didn't matter if the door was locked or unlocked, the twisted metal wasn't going to give, but he kept trying. Like an animal he'd lost his mind when flames filled the cab of the car. It hadn't stopped him, and he'd beaten at the intact glass of the window, until the explosion of the engine blew him back.

Harry got up from the bed and walked into the empty apartment. He walked into the kitchen, wanting nothing, but pouring himself a glass of orange juice. As he looked over at the breakfast table they'd all spent many mornings arguing around, and he felt the urge to add something stronger to his orange juice.

He'd finally convinced his parents to go home yesterday, and only because he'd told them he needed the silence to collect his thoughts. He'd also promised to come home to them soon. He'd made top grades all semester, and his professors had all waved his exams. He was free.

Chuck and Blair had wanted him to come home with them, but Harry had refused. He felt like he needed to stay there, he felt like he was waiting for them to come home. Noah would walk in from an early class, bringing coffee from the place on the corner, which Harry would refuse, because the stuff he could brew in his own press was better than anything any of them could afford to purchase. Adam would be studying on the couch, his iPod so loud that they all knew he was listening to Maroon 5, even though he told them it was Eminem. Sarah. Harry could see her everywhere. Grabbing the remote from his hand, and changing his hockey game to The Voice. The way she'd twist her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head. The way her eyes sparkled as she was telling him he was an egomaniac... but she wanted a room with a fireplace when he took them skiing in Whistler. He missed the sound of her moving on the other sides of the walls of their home.

It was those familiar sounds that had his head snapping up now. Moving quickly, he half ran to Adam and Sarah's room, hoping he wasn't hallucinating. There, standing in the sunlight, he knew that he wasn't.

She was beautiful.

Sarah didn't look up, even though he knew she heard him push the door open further. Neither spoke, as he watched her move around her bedroom, the bedroom of the boy Harry knew she'd thought she's spend her whole life with. She picked up pictures and put them down, with hands still cut and raw from the accident. She looked at the posters on the walls with eyes that were set over the bruises that deeply marked her skin. She limped to the window on a leg that was covered in a brace. She stood in sunlight that painfully reminded Harry of the lights from the car that had been driven by a man too drunk to have noticed the light in front of him was red.

Finally she turned and looked at him with hollow eyes.

Her harsh voice croaked, as she spoke to him for the first time since he'd pulled her limp body from the car. And she spoke the thought that had overwhelmed her since learning of the deaths of her beloved twin brother and boyfriend. "It should have been you."

In a broken whisper, Harry answered her. "I know."

TahDAH! Fun chapter, eh? I promise that not all of the stories to come are this dark. I also realized that... I never have CB really break up... I think in any of my fics? Oops. That says a lot about me. I'd rather nearly kill someone or kill someone close to CB, than have them fight and break up... hehe. Seriously, it's almost embarrassing how much writing reveals about the writer, even when they think it doesn't.

Okay, so I kept this to my standard 2000 ish words, because more does not count towards my 100 chapters... so here's my average chapter. I've also been posting some spec on twitter for weeks about the finale and a story heading into next year. I'm actually even surprised myself that since the last episode and the previews... people are now thinking I may be right? Who knew that could happen?


	58. Chapter 58

Hello! Can I tell you something? I lost my mind a little bit the last Monday GG was on, and here is the evidence of that... Tuesday morning, after tweeting till the last minute, I went to run out the door, to get to work... only to realize... I had no idea where my keys were. So, I did that thing where you retrace your steps, which means we're cutting back to the night of the finale. I went and stood by my front door and... action! I ran in the door, kicked off my shoes, turned off the alarm, dropped my purse on a chair, ran to the spot where I hide my computer (yes, I hide Gloria. If I'm gonna get burgled, I'm a gonna make them work for the good stuff). I turned Gloria on, ran back to the kitchen to throw some groceries away... and it's at this point of the reenactment where I found my keys. In the freezer. What the hell? Here we go...

Chuck twitched in the early stages of waking up, and he would have let it happen naturally, but something was unnatural at the moment. Before he was even fully awake, he knew that he was alone. In the almost twenty years of their marriage, he'd loved and had grown used to waking up with her. Their natural tendencies leant to touching each other when they were awake, but in sleep it was everything. She was his absolute favourite warm body in the world to wake up to. Luckily she'd always slept like a coma patient, while he was a light sleeper, so he almost always got to wake up with her.

He opened his eyes with a frown, already formulating his argument as to how she'd ruined his morning. He figured it he played it right, he would be on the receiving end of a sensual massage tonight. That thought made the morning a little brighter and he stretched in preparation for going to look for his wife.

Her screaming his name expedited matters.

"Chuuuuuck!"

It wasn't said in anger, or frustration or excitement. Blair screamed his name in terror.

He was out of bed and running into the hall in seconds. For a moment he was confused, because silence had claimed their sleepy home again, but then she shouted his name a second time, and Chuck's heart slammed into his gut.

Her screams were coming from Harry's room.

In the past two months since Harry had been home from school, he'd been a different person than the one they'd sent off for his second year at Yale just the previous September. He was a different person than the Harry he'd always been.

The whole Bass family had flown out to Chicago for the funerals. Harry had been stoic and quiet throughout. After, it was summer, so Harry had moved home and back into his room, but he hadn't really come back to them... or to himself.

After giving him a month of peace, Blair's natural protective, some might say meddlesome tendencies kicked in, and she'd talked Harry into seeing the top therapist in New York. It had been four weeks since the sessions started. Chuck knew Blair felt better with Harry at least sitting down with a professional to try and open up, since he seemed so locked away with everyone else. Chuck hadn't argued with her. He knew she had Harry's best interest at heart... even if Chuck may have disagreed on her tactics. It's what had led-

"CHUCK!"

He burst into Harry's room, and for a brief moment he thought maybe he'd read his son wrong, that Harry had been further down a spiral than he'd thought and... His heart lodged in his throat and he thought he was going fall to his knees as his gut twisted, afraid of what he was going to see.

"Blair!" He looked furtively around the room and it took his senses a few seconds to calm his racing brain from it's last few images. These were images of Harry, ODed on the floor. His Harry hanging in the closet. His charming, smarmy, bright son, gone from him forever. Instead, he gratefully found Blair standing in their eldest son's empty room.

He rushed to her, because she was clearly in distress, but also because he needed to touch her to ground the reality that Harry was fine.

"Blair, what is it?" He begged urgently. His hands found her shoulders and ran down her arms. "What's wrong?"

She looked up at him with eyes filled with more tears and pain than he'd seen in them in many years.

"He's gone." She choked out, and leaned into Chuck and pressed her hot face into his chest.

His arms naturally came around her, and held her for long minutes, rubbing her back.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Chuck asked when her trembling finally stopped.

"Harry's... left." She tilted her head back to look at him.

"Where did Harry go?"

Both wife and husband's heads shot around to look at the door, and they found their two youngest children standing there, Lenore in pajamas, and Bart with his duvet wrapped around him like a shroud.

Blair pressed a piece of paper she'd been clutching into Chuck's hands, and then moved towards her children. She picked up Lenore and carried her to a chair set against the wall by the door. Blair sat down and hugged her daughter to her, whispering that everything was fine, and wishing she could ignore Lenore's repeated question of where Harry was. Blair had to ignore it, because she had no idea.

She'd woken early, which was rare for her, and while she'd usually wake her husband in a way that would keep a smile on his face all day, she'd gotten out of bed with a different plan instead. Lately, Harry had seemed so... lost. She'd dressed quickly with the plan of waking him and taking him out for breakfast, just the two of them.

Blair had knocked softly before opening his door quietly, but it had been a wasted effort. She'd found his bed, made and unslept in. Then she'd spotted the letter propped on the bedside table. It was addressed to her and Chuck.

_Mother and Dad,_

_I feel like I don't belong here right now. I need to get out of Manhattan, out of New York, and try to learn how to be me again. Please don't worry, and tell Bart and Lenore not to worry. I'll call when I can._

_I love you._

_Harry_

Blair watched Chuck read and reread the short letter, which Blair didn't even think qualified as a letter, and was clearly more of a note. She watched him process, and her read left her with some confusing conclusions. Chuck didn't not seem nearly as shocked as she was. It was confirmed a moment later.

"I thought he would say goodbye..." Chuck muttered more to himself than as a comment to her.

Unfortunately for him, she heard him.

"What did you just say?" She demanded sharply, even though she knew the exact words that had just passed his lips, but she was incredulous over what they must mean.

A brief cringe of guilt passed through Chuck before he wiped his face of emotion, Blair saw it, and it was more than enough to try his guilt.

"Confess, Bass." She told him sharply. "Because it's clear you not only know something, but have been a party to something."

Lenore sat very still on her mother's stiff lap, and Bart slowly slouched to sit on the floor, pulling the hood of duvet further over his eyes. The energy in the room was like a storm that was about to break. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Blair stood, needing to pace, but took a moment to gently put Lenore down next to Bart.

"Well?" She snapped as she advanced on her husband.

"Blair..."

"Don't 'Blair' me, and then let your sentence lead off into nowhere, so that I'm forced to draw my own conclusions and you can try to avoid this confrontation!"

A small smile played about his lips. "You know me too well..."

"Do I?" She mused angrily. "Because I am drawing conclusions... and I don't like the ones I'm coming to."

"Harry's been talking to me." Chuck said as a way to rip the bandaid off faster.

"Good." Blair looked at him with a nod. She was glad. Then it hit her. "Wait. When?"

She knew the whole family's schedules, and she been particularly focused on Harry's and an emphasis on family time. She got the feeling that these father/son chats were longer than a few minutes and more frequent than one might think.

"A couple of afternoons a week..." Chuck started, knowing this moment would come when he made the promise to his son that he wouldn't tell Blair about them. "When he was supposed to be at therapy."

Blair had to sit down again, and eased herself back into the chair. "I don't..." She struggled to understand.

"He knew you were worried... but he... needed somebody to talk to... He wanted that to be me, rather than a therapist."

Blair nodded absently, because she wasn't opposed to him talking to his own father, she was just taken aback by the secrecy, the secrecy that her husband had clearly been a part of.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked and he could hear the anger building in her tone.

Chuck's fists clenched and unclenched, once again having seen this moment coming. "He made me promise... it was the only way he'd actually sit and tell me what was going on in his head."

Blair's anger was fueling the speed of her already fast mind. "Wait. If he's been going to see you... who the hell has been showing up at his therapist?" She demanded.

She'd called before and after every session to make sure he'd gotten there alright and to see if he was okay when he left. The doctor refused to cave to her will and forgo client privacy laws, but his secretary was down for the take. Then it hit Blair. They never used names incase the doctor was around.

"Bart!"

Her eyes shot to her younger son and he had the good grace to hang his head... and then duck behind his little sister.

"...On the plus side, we now have a professional assessment that Bart does not have autism..." Chuck tried to diffuse with the long standing inside joke.

"You thought I had autism?" A disgruntled Bart actually asked.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Son, please." He said as if there had never been a more obvious question.

Blair was standing and slowly turning, looking around Harry's room like she'd never seen it before. It killed him to see that look on her face. Like she'd been betrayed by those she most loved. Chuck hated that, in a way, she had.

"Bart." Chuck spoke softly. "Go, get dressed, and take your sister to breakfast."

Bart nodded, and stood up from the floor.

"Oh, and don't forget her-"

"I know." Bart nodded, and held out a hand to Lenore.

She looked at it for a second, then turned around, and ran towards her mother. She threw her small arms around Blair's thighs, and pressed her face against her hip. Blair was still in shock, but the comfort her daughter was offering resinated through her, and her hand stroked down Lenore's dark hair. They didn't need to say a word. It had been enough.

A moment later, Lenore let go, and turned back to walk, with her chin high, not just towards Bart, but right on passed him.

Lenore paused and looked pointedly over her shoulder at her father and brother. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew she wanted to make one thing clear. "Just so you know... I'm on Mama's team."

Bart knew it was not going to be a pleasant morning, but he followed the tiny Commandant out of the room anyway.

Alone, the silence hung between the couple. Chuck waited, knowing that his words would just sound like excuses at the moment, but still he wanted to offer them.

"All these secrets... I feel like a fool." Blair said coolly, but the underlying hurt was still there.

He stepped towards her"Blair, it wasn't like that-"

"Shut up." She managed to get out.

"Blair, please..."

"Go to work."

"No... I want to talk abo-"

Her sharp laughter cut him off. "So, now you want to talk? Oddly, at this moment I have very little to say to you. In fact, I'm having a hard time even looking at you."

"Bl-" He desperately tried again.

"Get out."

TahDAH! So, this chapter was going to be MUCH longer... but then I remembered the whole "It won't count towards your 100 chapters promise, yah dah, yah dah, yah dah", so I split the chapter. The plus side? The next chapter is almost done.

I realized that I haven't really written a bad fight between them, at least not since the paternity jazz, so I started thinking about what could make them fight. Strife over the children was my conclusion. This is what I wrote to that. They'll be more in the next chapter, but some other stuff as well.

Have you ever woken up in the morning and found the body of a spider in your bed? You know it must have violated and crawled all over you while you were unconscious. Ha. Joke's on it. It's smushed body will send a message to the other spiders. Don't mess with me. Non?


	59. Chapter 59

Hello! So this chapter had a big chunk already done, because I shifted it from the last chapter. Did you ever have one of those days, where you thought it was going to be a horror show, because you felt like crap and were just trying to keep breathing to get through it... and then life handed you... a hilarious day that reminds you that... everything can be good again. The girl that I hate at work, because I've always thought she was shady, got caught doing shady things twice in one day. Vindication! And yes, I said "I told you so" to some of her past defenders. Later, I had my head shoved in a freezer so that I wouldn't cry, when one of my co-workers said someone was there to see me. I came out to see that my 15mth old buddy was there with his mom. He lit up. I lit up. I got hugs and giggles and 15 minutes of looking out the window and spotting dogs and buses... and chasing around the staff that are afraid of babies. Have I mentioned I love babies? You'd think I was too much of a bitch to love them, but I must not be, because I do. Oh, and, for some unknown reason, I was charged with trying to fix the water cooler. It shot a cannon of water in my face. I screamed... then laughed for ten minutes. It was a day that rested my mind, and helped me come home in a mood to write. Here we go...

The dead heat of a New York summer was held at bay for the moment by the early morning hour, and so after grabbing breakfast at a nearby place, Lenore begrudgingly held Bart's hand as they wove their way towards the park. Once inside, she let go of his hand as they navigated the rolling pathways of Central Park, until they reached their bench by the duck pond.

Lenore sat down first and awkwardly tried to have her small body take up as much of the bench as possible, so that Bart couldn't sit down. She scowled at him for a moment, because this was, and had always been, their Mama's bench. She wasn't 100% sure she should let him sit on it with her. Bart sighed, opened the large, handled, paper bag he carried, and pulled out the chocolate croissant he'd secretly ordered for her, instead of her usual breakfast of oatmeal, fruit and milk.

He knew he had her at the widening of her eyes, and she wordlessly took the treat and scooted over. He rolled his eyes as he sat down, because sometimes she was too easy. He placed the bag on the ground and pulled out the cup holder, setting her steamed vanilla milk, another bribe, between them on the bench, and pulling out his own cup of ice water. He wordlessly emptied the three packets of Kool Aid from his pocket into the cup and stirred it in with the straw, before reaching into the bag and pulling out a banana pudding cup, to which he had no spoon for.

They sat there quietly for a long time. She pulled off pieces of the pastry and daintily popped it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully for an almost six year old. He squeezed the sides of the cup, which pushed the pudding up enough for him to lick it from the top, as he to went over the events of this morning. Their brother was gone and their parents were angry. Not the best morning either had ever seen.

The long silence was broken by an alarm on his phone going off. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill holder, took one out and handed it to Lenore. She took it, placed it in her mouth and swallowed it down with a sip of her cooling drink, as Bart logged her taking her morning heart pill into his phone, which would also log it in all the Basses phones.

Lenore sat, back straight as an arrow and legs crossed at the ankle, and didn't even look at her slouched brother when she started talking.

"Poor Mama. I bet she's really sad right now... Sad because Harry left and didn't even say goodbye... sad because Daddy kept a secret... sad because you were a part of it..." She breathed in an over the top tone.

She peered at him out of the corner of her eye, and smirked as she saw him blanch.

"I bet it will take her forever to forgive you... maybe she never will." She continued, loving the way her brother now turned green.

"Maybe she'll be so sad... so heartbroken... that she'll send you to boarding school, like Daddy said his father was always threatening to do..."

Bart doubled over, looking like he was about to throw up the pudding and Kool Aid he'd just consumed. Lenore finally took pity on him and patted his back with her small hand.

"Don't worry, Bart." They made eye contact when Bart glanced at her over his shoulder. "I'll still love you... even after I've made Harry's room my dress up room and yours my lego room."

"You. Are. So. Mean." Bart muttered as his head dropped to between his knees.

"Am not." Lenore said haughtily, and then giggled as she swung the legs back and forth in the air. She actually didn't think she was mean. Sometimes she just liked to say and do things to see how others would react, and Bart always had the best reactions.

After a few minutes, she grew bored by his distress, and moved their drinks aside to scoot closer to him. She leaned against him, and rested her head on his back, and spoke with the innocence of the child she actually was. "It's going to be okay, Bart."

Bart heaved a great sigh, hoping that she was right, and as if she read his mind, she smirked. "You know I'm always right."

This earned his first smile of the morning and he carefully sat up to put an arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head, and then let go of her to again search through the bag. He pulled out a loaf of bread, ripped off a chunk and handed it to her.

"After you." He offered, and she jumped up from the bench to scamper down to the edge of the duck pond.

Bart got up slower, but followed her down, not at peace, but feeling lighter.

Chuck sat on the couch, ostensibly reading the paper, but really sweating through his suit. All day his thoughts had been on two people, worry, of course, for his son, but he honestly thought that Harry had made the best choice for himself. Chuck supported that. He just wished it all had been handled differently. He wished he had handled it differently. In his blind need to help Harry, to do what Harry needed... wanted, he'd hurt his other half. Chuck couldn't shake the look of pain and betrayal he'd read in his Blair's eyes.

Being unable to concentrate, he'd left work early and hit his florist's before going straight to her office. She'd already left for the day. He'd also been informed by her assistant that she'd be dining with her sister-in-law tonight, so not to expect her home for supper.

He'd gone home to what started out as an extremely quiet meal, because for one it was with Bart, and two, Lenore had loudly declared she wasn't speaking to him. However, mid way through he couldn't take her baleful looks anymore, so ordered her vegetables taken away, and let her eat ice cream for dinner. It had at least earned him a couple of sentences. When they'd all retired to the living room after dinner, it looked as if they were all lounging, Chuck with his paper, Bart with his graphic novel, and Lenore with her paper and crayons, but really they were all waiting on Blair.

Chuck would lower a corner of the paper every now and then to cast an eye over at the elevator. Nothing. It was almost time for Lenore to go to sleep and Blair still wasn't home. Chuck had a sneaking suspicion if he tried to put her to bed himself... the result would not be pretty. He glanced over at his little, precious, perfect, scary little girl, and she looked like an angel. She was in a white smock day dress, that to some would look quaint, but in actuality was hand made by Eleanor Waldorf, right down to the blue embroidery. A matching blue, bowed headband rested atop her bouncing dark curls, and her feet knocked back and forth absently as she drew skyscraper after skyscraper along the page. She really was the most angelic creature, Chuck mused, still watching her small hand move, and he smiled as he caught her biting her lip as she CAREFULLY printed BASS across the largest building.

Then she started humming softly under her breath. He flinched at the many patchy notes. Much like her mother, his little Lenore was tone deaf. He'd never told Blair that, and he wasn't about to tell his daughter. He went back to trying to read a paragraph, when he noticed her humming was now forming a song. Lyrics. He couldn't help but listen.

"I get you like, oh, baby, baby. Oh, baby, baby. Ah-ooh baby, baby. Oo baby, baby."

Chuck raised a brow.

"I'm not trying to fight it, to fight it. But you're so magnetic, magnetic. Got one life, just live it, just live it..."

Chuck held his breath and willed himself patience, hoping against hope that he was imagining things and these words weren't coming out of his little girl's mouth.

"Now relax... and get on your back-"

"Lenore!" He snapped. The chef must have been listening to satellite radio again while she was cooking. Blair would have her head.

"Yes, Daddy?" Lenore looked up at him with actually innocent eyes.

"Never sing that song again."

Lenore nodded but knew in her head she'd sing in again... most likely when she was asking for something and he seemed reluctant to give it to her. Chuck was under no illusions. He knew he'd tipped his hand.

The ping of the elevator had two pairs of golden eyes, and one of dark brown shooting in the same direction. Blair appeared out of the elevator and Lenore ran to her.

"Mama!"

Blair bent down, kissed Lenore's cheek before standing, and saying to none of the males in particular. "It's been a trying day. Goodnight."

With Lenore's hand in hers, Blair headed upstairs. Still glad to be on Team Mama, Lenore stuck her tongue out at her brother as she and her mother walked up the stairs. An hour later, Blair sat on Lenore's bed, gently combing out the freshly washed curls that now smelled of lilacs. Lenore's eyes shut as she relaxed with the rhythmic strokes of the comb, loving it when her mother did her hair. What she didn't know was that Blair loved combing Lenore's hair even more than the little girl loved having it combed... Partly because it's what' Blair wished she'd had more of when she was little, and partially because she was grateful Lenore hadn't turned out to be bald. It'd been touch and go there for a while.

When she was done, Blair lay back against the silk pillows and looked up at the canopy above her. Lenore lay down beside her, and the two heads were so close their nearly identical dark locks blended together, to the point where you couldn't tell where one began and the other ended. After long moments, Lenore craned her head to look at her mother.

"Are you okay, Mama?"

"I'm just sad, my love." Blair said absently, still reeling from the day.

"Why?"

"Because if you love someone... really deep down love them... there shouldn't be any secrets. Secrets are for people who are beneath you, and people that you can't trust."

Lenore contemplated that for a moment, and then sat up quickly to look down at her mother. "Mama..."

"Yes?" Blair was instantly suspicious of her daughter's tone.

"It wasn't Chloe who dropped your bottle of Chanel No. 5 and broke it... it was me. And I told Grandpa Cyrus that I liked lox and then stuck it in Bart's pocket. And I told Liam at school that he was adopted. And I hid Agnes' bag because she wouldn't take me to the park in the rain. And remember your favourite scarf-"

"Alright! Maybe I should have been clear... with big secrets, you shouldn't keep them from the people you love."

"Have you ever kept a secret from me?"

"How would I do that?" Blair rolled her eyes and hid her smile. "You demand to know everything."

Lenore looked down at her mother and examined her closely, leaning in so their noses almost touched. She sat back with narrowed eyes.

"I think you've kept a secret." She accused.

Blair smiled and teased. "Perhaps..."

Lenore's eyes twinkled. "Is it that I'm your favourite, but you couldn't tell me cause good Mamas don't tell which of their babies they like best?"

There was such malicious glee in the little girl's voice, that Blair couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. That's exactly it!" And she pulled Lenore in to hug her.

There was a strangled sound from the doorway, and both Bass women looked up to find a queazy looking Bart standing there. They both sat up, and Blair estimated that she could hold out for about ten more minutes before she forgave him. He looked absolutely pathetic... which he always did when he wore his favourite moping t-shirt. Yes. Bieber was back. While cringing at the sight of the well worn shirt, she saw he had his laptop in his hands.

"This should be good..." She mused with a raised brow towards Lenore.

Bart solemnly walked into the room, placed the computer open on the bed, queued a video, hit the lights off, and walked out. Shania Twain's voice, singing From This Moment, came across the speaker as images of Bart and Blair started to move across the screen. It started with a picture a pregnant Blair, looking down at her stomach. Then came a professional shot of her, in full hair and makeup, in her hospital bed, holding a newborn Bart. A video clip of a stumbly, newly walking Bart taking toddler steps towards a laughing Blair. You get the gist. This was Bart's over the top, manipulative heart tugging statement about why she couldn't stay mad at him. Her precious, wonderful, sentimental baby boy. The video ended with a shot of the two of them taken for the Bass Christmas cards. Blair sat in a large chair and Bart was perched next to her, their heads tilted towards each other, his hand was held in hers. The words, "I Will Love You As Long As I Live" flashed across the screen in a rolling script. The lights came back on, and Bart stood there, looking the picture of contrition, with a bouquet of peonies in his hands.

"She's not going to fall for that." Lenore told him mutinously and folded her arms tightly across her chest. Her Mama was too smart for this.

Then Blair sniffed, and sniffed again. She held open her arms to Bart. "My baby!"

Bart stumbled into her arms, holding her tightly, relieved to be forgiven. He also met his sister's incredulous gaze, and smirked, before sticking his tongue out at her. Blair'd been his mother long before she'd been Lenore's. Bart had tricks Lenore had yet to imagine.

Lenore's mouth fell open, as Bart wiped his victory off his face, and was back to looking deeply apologetic as he leaned back to look at their still teary mother.

"I really am sorry." He said, and meant it... even though it felt pretty good to show Lenore how it was done.

"I know." Blair sighed, and leaned in to kiss his brow. "Your hair needs product." She told him as she pulled away.

After the three of them sat for a while, reading books with Lenore until she fell asleep, Bart and Blair headed out into the hall. She walked him to his room, and hugged him goodnight. Chuck appeared in the doorway of the master suite and he watched them quietly, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his robe.

Blair's eyes were warm when they were on her son's face, but when they fell on her husband, they turned to ice. Not being an idiot, Bart made a wise move. He got the hell out of Dodge, half slamming his bedroom door in the process.

With her chin held high, Blair walked straight towards the doorway, everything in her body language commanding Chuck to move. He didn't. He stayed perfectly still. Not blocking her, but not getting out of her way. This forced her to have to slide past him, and as she did so, her chest skimmed his, sending electric shockwaves through them both. His eyes stayed burning on hers, but she wouldn't meet his gaze.

Ignoring him, she walked straight to her closet. She heard him get into bed, and in the past she would have worn a skimpy slip, rolled her hair into a knot on top of her head to leave her neck exposed, and sauntered past him slowly. She was too angry for that game right now. Instead she put on a pair of fully covering, blue silk pajamas, and marched to the bathroom. She kept her hair down.

When Blair was finished in the bathroom, she opened the door to see him sitting up in bed, covers over his legs, and hands folded in his lap. He would have looked relaxed to anyone else, but she saw the fire in his eyes. He wanted to have this out, clear the air, and get back to normal. Blair wasn't feeling normal.

Once again, pretending he wasn't there, she walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, climbed in, and turned off the light. Her back was to him, but she could feel his eyes burning into her. She kept her heart a stone. It had been hurt enough today.

Chuck looked down at her tense form beside him, and wanted to comfort her. Comfort himself. They both had a son who was gone. He reached out and tried to caress her shoulder. She yanked it away as if he were a salesman straight out of Sears.

Chuck's jaw tightened. "You forgave Bart..."

His voice was soft, but Blair heard the slight edge that had crept into his tone. Good. She was itching for a fight, and this was the first hint that he was coming back with one.

"I have to forgive him. I gave birth to him. I have a stubborn, laser resistant, stretch mark with his name on it. If he's ever arrested for a crime, it will be me they ask what went wrong. One day, should he ever give up his virginity, he may father my grandchildren. When I'm old and senile, he'll be picking my home, and I'd rather him not Cat's In The Cradle me. You? You're optional."

"Blair... please... We need to talk."

"Well, I guess, much like you over the past month, I have nothing of importance to say to you."

It was a cold and quiet night in the Bass bed, and it was looking like it wouldn't be the last.

TahDAH! See... now I know a few of you were unhappy with how abruptly I ended Busted... but look how much faster I just updated ITY? I should say, that I'm thinking I might do a couple of Busted oneshots to smooth it out. We'll see. I have a little IWill in my head right now.


	60. Chapter 60

Hello! I just wanted to apologize to Natalie. I hadn't realized that I'd dropped the ball with Chuck and the kids. I really had thought I'd tried to communicate that Chuck has close bonds with his children just as well as Blair does. I don't read my own work, but... I thought I had had Chuck take Lenore to work with him and care for her by himself... get the kids ready for school... pick Lenore up from Day Care... stuff like that. I also had Harry confide in Chuck alone for a reason. They're close and he knew his father would understand him. I didn't mean to insult any Daddy's Girls out there! If it's any consolation, I've never had a father, so I'm writing out of my ass about Father/Daughter relationships. As to the 100 chapters, yeah, sure, it could go that long, I'm not saying it won't, but it's not my primary motivation. I write for two reasons, one, I enjoy writing, and two it's an escape for me. I'm sorry if it comes across that I'm only writing to hit a chapter count, because that's not the case. I just thought there were a few of us joking around. And now I hear all the ones who plan on holding me to the 100 vow, yelling in my head. I know who you all are! Sit down or I'll kill someone off! Ha! Grrrr. Threatening. Here we go...

Blair was avoiding him and he hated it. It had been two weeks since Harry had taken off into the night like a broke drug addict out for a fix. Blair's words, not Chuck's. He had thought she'd calm down enough to talk to him, or at least engage in hot, angry sex, but no such luck for Mr. Bass.

Unfortunately, even after all these years, certain things never changed. Chuck would only be patient for so long... before it started to piss him off. He'd been trying to fight the resentful feelings that were starting to churn in his gut at her cold indifference, but every time she pretended he wasn't in the room, it made him grow darker.

To combat this, he had started working late, which didn't seem to fully matter because she'd started doing the same or attending more functions solo than she had in years. This was, of course, noticed throughout the Bass household, but it had also been picked up on by the NY media. He'd started arriving at work with messages from reporters asking him to comment on the state of his marriage. He'd been out to dinner with Nathaniel when he'd been approached by a twenty-something social climber, who's agenda could be detected from across the restaurant, as could her Britney Spears perfume. She got nothing, but shot down by Chuck, however when she went back to the bar, Nate had her number in his phone. Yesterday Chuck had received a letter and documents from his attorney's office, without naming any names or parties, laying out a game plan for a divorce, and how to gain the upper hand in the dissolution of a high powered, multi-billion dollar divorce.

All of these things, however, were trivial. There were only four people on this Earth that meant everything to him, and he only cared how this was affecting them. Blair and he were the ones waging this Cold War, but it played out for the others as well, with the exception of Harry, who was still keeping up his vanishing act. Bart had become a recluse. Not a far stretch for him, but now he never left the apartment. He had his comi- graphic novels, messengered over to him from his favourite shop. He ordered whatever food he wanted online and had it delivered. He had also taken to only throwing on a robe for tense meals around the family's table. Other than than he went nude. His skinny dipping in the pool had taken a few years off a maid's life. He was a Bass male after all.

As for Lenore, she'd stopped being angry at him, which was a good thing, but now she was just stressed out at the world. She lay out her clothes three days in advance. She had Agnes arrange all her play-dates and activities for the next month. She'd snapped at Chloe and had refused to see or speak to her in four days. This was a record for the best friends.

Tonight Serena had come over with Chloe, a bouquet of peonies, and an apology card. Lenore had refused to see her cousin, and in fact had sent Agnes downstairs with a decretive box filled with all the toys and clothes the other girl had ever left there.

Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Um... Chuck, can you hurry up and fix this?" Serena drawled as she held a now crying Chloe in her arms. "You're kind of ruining my life."

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Even after all these years, when Chuck and Blair fought... there was always collateral damage.

"Give me a minute." He said to his sister, before heading upstairs to his daughter's room.

He was just about to open her door when he heard her gentle bellow reverberate through the wood.

"They're crooked, Agnes! I'm gonna look like my head isn't on straight or like I have a mental condition! Do them again!"

He was going to have to give Agnes a raise. Again.

He pushed the door open to see Lenore sitting at her vanity, with Agnes standing behind her and re-doing her french braids. The scowl didn't leave the little girl's face as her cherished maid finished with her perfectly set hair, and tied both braids off with, more than decent sized, red ribboned bows.

"Agnes, why don't you call it a day?" Chuck said easily, and he would swear the woman let out the breath she'd been biting down on, before she took off like the devil himself was after her. Maybe she was? Chuck mused as he was left alone with the cutest little devil he'd seen since her mother.

"What do you want?" She practically growled with disdain. She turned in her seat to look at him.

"You don't speak to me that way." Chuck said firmly, putting his foot down.

"Why?" She asked, standing up and planting her hands on her hips.

"Because I don't use that tone with you. And so you won't use it with me. And besides, I know you don't mean it." He smirked. That smirk enraged her, because she knew he was right, and that smirk told her that he knew, she knew, he was right. She hated that even more.

"I do." She stomped her foot and clenched her tiny, pink nailed fists. "I do mean it!"

"I've been reading Waldorf Women for a long time... remind me to teach you how to make your eyes match your mouth." Chuck commented as if disinterested. It was like throwing gas on a fire.

"I hate you, and I hate Mama!" With that she threw herself onto the floor to kick and scream in an unrivaled tantrum. "You two are ruining EVERYTHING!"

For the most part the next few minutes were loud and unintelligible. Chuck merely flinched here and there as she hit particularly high pitches. Eventually he sat down in a large purple chair, and leaned back to wait until she'd petered out. This wasn't the first time she'd said she hated one or both of them, but it was never pleasant. It generally happened on the rare occasions when one of them told her no. The last time had been when Lenore had tried to insist on wearing Blair's favourite tiara to school, as part of her Halloween costume. The trick was that they could never let on that it bothered them when she said it.

He'd actually tuned her tantrum out, and was going over a meeting he'd had earlier in the day in his head, when she finally blew herself out. She was a puddle on the floor, that looked up at him with wide, sad hazel eyes.

Wordlessly, Chuck opened his arms and waited. Lenore pushed herself to her feet and scrambled up into her Daddy's arms.

"I didn't mean it..." She sniffed, using both hands to try to shove her now wild curls off her sweaty and teary face. "I don't hate you and Mama..."

"I know." He commented, as he pulled out his handkerchief from his breast pocket, and started carefully mopping up her face.

"I don't want you to go and live in Brooklyn!" Lenore frowned at him. "It smells funny. Like poor people and raw chicken."

"Why would I ever live in Brooklyn?"

"Chloe said that when mommies and daddies stop communalcating that the daddy goes and lives in Brooklyn." She repeated with a frown. If your best friend said it, it was right.

Chuck rolled his eyes, getting where her temper and the fight with her cousin had stemmed from. "That's what happened in Chloe's family. That is not what is happening in yours."

"Really?" One brow rose up at him, as she looked at him with the intensity of a shark that was contemplating eating a seal that was currently pissing it off.

"There are some promises that are easy to make and keep. I won't ever leave your Mother, or you... and I shall never go to live in Brooklyn."

"You'll live with us forever?" She pressed. Chuck nodded.

"I want that in writing." She repeated what she'd often heard her father say, when she'd played in his office at work.

His mouth kinked up on one side, and he ran a hand over the crown of her head in a soothing gesture. "That's my girl. I'll call my lawyers in the morning."

Downstairs, Blair returned home to two distressed blondes crying in her foyer.

"What the hell is this?" Blair waved a hand at the wet people slumped on one of her antique chairs. "Watch the upholstery."

"Lenore broke up with her." Serena sniffed as she rubbed her daughter's back.

"Okay... And why are you crying?" Blair drawled incredulously.

"When Chloe is sad, I'm sad." Serena's chin shot up as she explained.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I'm unfamiliar. Lenore gets more angry than sad."

"Like mother, like daughter, I guess?" Serena smirked. "And this all is feeling quite familiar... I should have known it was just a matter of time before our daughters' friendship mimicked our own. You're mean, I cry, the next generation."

"I vaguely recall someone deflowering my, at the time, current boyfriend." She tapped her chin reflectively as she pretended to contemplate. "Now... who was that? Who... Was... That... Tip of my tongue..."

"You should thank me." Serena teased.

"Don't hold your breath." Blair smirked. She would be grateful, but she'd decided a long time ago that she and Chuck were inevitable. Even if Nate had been loyal and faithful as a dog... Blair and Chuck still would have found their way to each other.

Both women looked up at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Chuck stepped quickly, yet carefully, down, with Lenore held in his arms.

"Chloe! I'm having a sleepover at your house!" Lenore bellowed and tugged on her father to set her down.

"You are?" The little blonde squealed as she pushed out of her mother's arms .

"She is?" The bigger blonde asked, flinching when both girls were squealing and jumping up and down, holding hands.

"They make up like their mothers." Chuck mused, watching the girls. "If only Lenore's was always so forgiving..."

Blair could feel his eyes on hers, but she refused to meet them. Instead she signaled to Serena and the girls, and they all went upstairs to pack Lenore's things. A few hours later, after learning that Bart was staying with Lily for the night, Chuck and Blair were alone.

Left to their own devices, each took to their to their corners for most of the evening. Having been married this long they knew a storm had been brewing and was about to break... they just didn't know what would be the trigger.

It arrived in the form of Blair's ringing phone, as the could had just, coldly, climbed into their king sized bed. Lifting it from her bedside table, Blair glanced at the screen, and frowned at the unfamiliar number. This line was a closely guarded secret, and only close friends and family had the number.

She took the call, not speaking, and raised a brow as she waited for the person on the other end to talk.

After a few moments an achingly cherished voice spoke.

"Mother... Mother, are you there?"

Her eyes shut for a moment, and the thing inside of her that had been twisted since he'd left, unfurled at the sound of his voice. Her Harry. Blair's mouth opened and closed. She felt Chuck sit up at her side.

"Mother?" Harry asked again.

"Blair, what is it?" Chuck questioned urgently.

Blair swallowed and took a deep breath. When she finally opened her eyes again they were devoid of all her emotions, and she coolly addressed her son.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes." Harry answer, and a part of her wished that he sounded at least a little distraught at the moment. "I'm okay, Mother. In fac-"

"Good to know." She snapped. "Here's your father. I know how much you two like to talk."

With that she shoved the phone at Chuck, tossed the covers back angrily, and stormed out of the room. She didn't look back.

Ten minutes later, she was pacing the floor of the great room.

"What the hell was that?" Chuck demanded as he quickly walked into the room. "We haven't heard a peep out of him since he left and our investigators haven't had any luck tracking him in forever... then he calls and you just-"

"I just what?" Blair snapped.

"You shut him down." He seethed.

Blair looked at him petulantly. "I thought he'd want to talk to the parent he could confide in?"

"Enough! He wasn't opening up to anyone or anything, and then he came to me. He asked me not to say anything. I didn't like it, but I did it, because I didn't want to scare him away... To let him shut down totally!"

"So you just lied to me?"

It was his turn to get his nose out of joint. "It's not like you're any stranger to lying. I didn't know he was my son till he was talking. He could practically tell me himself!"

"Are you really bring that up?" She hissed incredulously.

"I think it bares saying... given your current focus on honesty." He drawled with narrowed eyes.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Yes. Over twenty years ago I got pregnant. Ran a test, was told it wasn't yours, and so went on with my life. The second I found out Harry was yours, I was going to tell you straight away, but then my son was kidnapped... so, I had some other pressing things on my mind. If that's still bothering you, get over it!"

Blair continued to pace, making the large room seem smaller. Chuck however was incredibly still. His waters boiled under the surface, while at the moment, Blair's were shooting like Old Faithful.

"What did you want me to do?"

"Now you care about what I want?"

"Don't I always?" Chuck bit out. "I always care about what you want. You know I have always cared deeply about making you happy."

He paused as she scoffed at him, biting his tongue as he waited.

"Which is why I did this, not to you, but for you." He gritted out.

"WHAT? You did this for me? You kept secret meetings with _our_ son to yourself, for me?"

"Waldorf, I know you." His chin jutted forward and he pointed a finger at her. "What you wanted, more than anything, was for Harry to be okay. To come out of this whole. When he came to me, that was the first sign of him making any progress whatsoever. I knew this was what you wanted, even though it wasn't how you wanted it."

Blair thought she was going to have aneurysm. "I hate you!"

It was the second time one of the women in his life had told him that today. When Lenore had said it, he'd looked underneath the rage to what was really bothering her. Lenore was scared. As he looked at Blair now... he saw the fear buried in her as well.

"Blair..." He spoke softly and approached her carefully.

"I do! I hate you!" She launched at him, beating her fists against his chest. "I hate you so much!"

His arms wrapped around her, and he could feel her pain. Minutes later she collapsed, sobbing, into his arms. "I hate this so much!"

This, he thought, this he believed. His wife, who love control so much, couldn't stop her son being hurt, wounded or lost. Blair was scared of all she couldn't protect her son from.

"I know." He told her, scared himself, and kissed her forehead. "I hate it too."

He felt her nod, and he bent down to scoop her up in his arms, and carry her to the couch a few feet away. He held her as tightly as she gripped him back. He gasped against her hair, trying to get control, but giving up. They were both heartbroken over the pain their son was in.

Finally she pulled back, looking into his eyes. Her hand came up, and ran over his cheeks. It was only then that he realized he'd been crying too. After they'd cleansed him, they moved to cup his strong jaw.

"I-" She started with wide, glistening brown eyes.

"I know." He leaned in and kissed her.

They both knew that the fight hadn't been about them. It had been about their fear the whole time. As the kiss deepened, with passion and the breaking of emotion, and he twisted her in his arms, laying her back against the couch.

His lips left hers to trail wet kisses down her neck. Chuck worshiped the skin there, and growled as her hands sunk into the hair at his nape. Tugging. Pulling. Drawing him back to her mouth.

"I need you now..." She whispered huskily against his mouth as her hands sought his belt buckle.

He pulled back, and stilled her hands.

"What?" She asked slightly disgruntled.

"Tell me I'm not optional." He told her.

She looked up at him in surprise... and then peals of laughter fell from her lips. "No."

He caught her hands, intwining his fingers with hers, and raising them to gently pin them by her head.

"Tell me I'm not optional." He insisted, holding his body away from hers.

"That really stuck in your craw, huh?" She shook her head with a coy smile, and tried to roll her body up against his. He tried to press her down. She shifted, and wrapped her legs around his hips, catching him and pulling him to her.

He groaned. She smiled They both knew she'd won.

Raising her head up off the coach, she kissed him much more innocently than the way her body clung to his.

"You're not optional. You're all I've ever wanted. You're all I ever will want."

It was all Chuck needed to hear.

TahDAH! So, Gloria does not get out much. She's literally worth more than I am. I keep her tucked away for the most part, hidden in my home, so that if someone breaks in they're gonna have to work to find her. I know. I'm a genius. But today I was going to have to come in early and then take a two hour lunch... and I thought it would be a good time to write a chapter. And here we are! Me and Gloria, out on the town. Sorry. One of my favourite lines from The Office, "Just two kittens, out on the town."

There was something else I was going to say... But I've forgotten.


	61. Chapter 61

Hello! So, I went whale watching again, and guess what? I saw whales this time! If you ever, EVER get a chance to go whale watching... TAKE it. Off the coast of Vancouver we were surrounded by islands and floating in this cover. The guide stops the engines and at first there's nothing. Then a splash and fin. The hugging the shore comes a pod of Orcas. Swimming. Diving. Surfacing. It was almost spiritual. The rugged mountainous land, the dark ocean water, and these amazing creatures. Everything at one with nature. It was stunning. Then at the very end of the day, we thought we were headed back, but then we stopped in what seemed like the middle of the Georgia Straight. And it surfaced. A Humpback. Rolling over and over. Dudes, I know I'm usually snarky, but... I was blown away. Hell, I'm a heartbeat away from getting an Orca tattooed on my ass. I LOVE WHALES! Here we go...

Six month later...

Somehow, Harry's fleeing from therapy had landed most of the rest of the Basses on the couch. The lone holdout had been Bart, who had refused to go back on principal. His parents believed that this, mostly, stemmed from people having been under the assumption he was autistic. For the senior Bass', Chuck and Blair needed a few weeks to work out their worry and hurt, and also to both come to the truth that Harry was not a little boy anymore. He was twenty-two, not sixteen. A man. Right now they had to trust him and let him go, with the hope that he would return. It wasn't an easy thing for either Blair or Chuck to do. That had earned them six additional weeks of therapy. Surprisingly, it had been Lenore who had embraced therapy, which shouldn't have really surprised anyone, given it was basically a fifty minute hour where someone had to listen to her talk. It was right up her ally.

However, it had also landed them where they were tonight, and Blair couldn't believe it was happening. Over the past week, Blair and Chuck had engaged in several discussions with Lenore's therapist. She thought, after carefully study of Lenore, that there was a tangible aid that would help Lenore through this time, and help her with her emotional development for years to come. Blair's immediate answer had been no. Chuck's had been yes. She had been prepared for a lengthy battle over the subject, one in which she was sure to win. But now she had a sinking feeling in her gut when he excused himself from the table, just as they were all sitting down over dessert

The Basstard just firebombed her, in the shape of a large purple box and silver ribbon, that filled his arms, as he carried it into the dining room. He was careful to keep his eyes on his elated daughter's face, and away from the murderous gaze of his wife.

"A present! For me?" Lenore added in a tone of surprise, but Blair caught the slight note of triumph in her daughter's voice.

"Yes... Imagine that..." Blair drawled.

Chuck placed the box carefully on the ground in front of Lenore, Bart got up and walked around the table to stand over his sister's shoulder to see what she'd gotten, and Blair stayed in her seat, already plotting his punishment.

"It's not my birthday... I wonder what this could be?" Lenore babbled as she tore into the huge silver bow.

Blair rubbed her temple. Could your own daughter annoy the hell out of you sometimes? Could Eleanor sense this moment from across an entire ocean? Was she cackling at this?

"Daddy!" Lenore screamed as she opened the box and a picture perfect purebred, golden, cocker spaniel puppy looked up at her. "She's wonderful!"

"It's a boy." Chuck pointed out, and couldn't help but smile at the total awe in his daughter's voice. Even Blair had to bite back a smile. Bart however got one look at the dog, gasped, and jerked backward, stumbling into the wall.

"Ah, yes." Blair smirked, her eyes twinkling at her husband. "Have you forgotten your son...? Your son who is allergic to dogs?"

"Is Bart really allergic to dogs, or is that just him being obstinate?"

Chuck opened his mouth to reply... but slammed it shut, not because he was surprised his seven year old correctly used the word obstinate, but because he honestly had no idea. It seemed like it had always just been family lore that Bart was allergic to dogs... but for the life of him, Chuck couldn't ever remember a time when Bart had even held a dog.

Lenore had hoisted the puppy up into her arms, and the dog patiently lay lax in her grasp. She then turned towards her brother. Bart's eyes went wide. For every slow step she took towards him, he took one back from her. This ended with him literally backed into a corner, and Lenore kept right on coming, holding her dog out in front of her. Bart arched his body away from her, as if he was being pressed to take a smallpox blanket.

"See!" Lenore declared as she, none to gently, rubbed the already put upon puppy against an equally put upon Bart. "It's fine!"

Lenore looked at her mother with giant hazel eyes. "Please, Mother... Please! Agnes will take good care of her!"

Blair sighed heavily. "We'll discuss it later."

She pointedly picked up her spoon and portioned off a slip of her rapidly melting gelato. Chuck winked at Lenore, and Lenore smiled happily as she sat down and settled _her_ dog on her lap. Begrudgingly, Bart returned to the table and started on his banana pudding with chocolate chips sprinkled on top. Blair opened her mouth to pass a vaguely masked, non-idle threat at her husband, when she saw Bart's face. The seventeen year old was covered in hives. Her spoon clattered loudly back into her bowl. Chuck followed her gaze and flinched.

"Someone is going on a one-way trip to France..." Chuck mused with a resigned sigh.

"Bart?" Lenore asked hopefully and with only a hint of malice.

Blair and Chuck's eyes fell on their daughter at the same time. Chuck nearly lurched out of his chair, and Blair half yelled as she threw her hands up in the air. "Oh, for crying out loud!"

"What?" Lenore looked around at them confused. "What?"

Sitting in her seat, her dog clutched tightly to her... Lenore Bass had hives rapidly breaking out up her arms, neck, and face.

Bart nearly fell over laughing. And because it had been so long, and the past months had been so tense... Chuck started laughing. At first Blair just looked at him incredulously, but then the situation hit her, as well as the fact that Chuck was laughing. Really laughing. It released something in her as well. Harry was their son, their family, but he was living his own life right now. This was their life right now.

And their life was allergic to dogs.

"Mama! It itches!" Lenore wailed, as her mother secured a pair of mittens to her hands with duct tape, a few hours later.

"You're duct taping mittens to their hands?" Chuck asked, not fully surprised about that, but he had been shocked to learn that they had a utility closet in their home, and that Blair knew exactly what was in it. He'd greatly enjoyed watching her backside as she climbed a foot stool to get the tape off a shelf.

"Do you want them to scar?" She asked coldly, as she snipped off the end, and finished tucking her, very unhappy, little girl into bed.

Lenore sniffed, not caring about her hives or the mittens on her hands, only caring that after weeks of laying it out perfectly to that therapist, that a dog would solve all her problems,... it had all been for nothing. She didn't even get to play with him once, and now he was locked up in her parent's room, so that she and Bart wouldn't be accidentally further exposed tonight.

Blair nodded at Chuck that she had this one, and he leaned in, kissed Lenore goodnight, and headed to their master.

Lenore lay back in her queen sized bed, sprawled against the silken pillows, and moaned. "Life is just soooooo unfair to me!"

Blair rolled her eyes, but softened the action by stroking a dark lock back from her daughter's still splotchy, forehead.

"I'm sorry about your dog." Blair said honestly. She remembered her own short days with handsome, and how her mother wouldn't let her keep him.

Lenore looked up at her with shimmering hazel eyes. "So, I can keep him?"

"Nice try, but no. I like my children hive-free, thank you very much." Blair smiled as she took a pill out of a bottle and held it out. Lenore dutifully opened her mouth, accepted the pill, and swallowed it down with the water Blair handed her. After that Blair lay down next to her sad baby, and Lenore curled against her, being comforted by the soothing stroke of her mothers hand on her back.

"It's just not fair..." Lenore whispered as she started to fall asleep.

After she was sure that Lenore was gone to the world, Blair carefully stood up from the bed, slipped her heels back on, and walked out of the room. She checked on their other patient, and he was covered in lotion, and sleeping off the torture of his dog allergy as peacefully as his sister.

Walking back into the master suite, she shut the door and leans against it, letting out a deep sigh. Chuck sits in a chair, waiting for her, with their soon to be ex-dog in his lap. Scratching the dog behind his ears, Chuck muses. "Maybe it's for the best? Are we really dog people?"

When Blair says nothing he looks up at her with a face covered in hives. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Two days later Blair brought home a perfect, purebred Ragdoll, colourpoint, cat. Lenore named him Miss Bonnie Blue.

A few months later...

Chuck stands at the gates of Constance/St. Jude's Jr. School. He leans against the brick as he waits, and wishes he could have a cigarette... or something else. He very rarely smoked anymore, and toked even less these days. However, there were some special occasions... adult only vacations... Times when it was just he and Blair, in a bed overlooking a beach... and if he played it just right, he could get her to join him. She was the sexiest little stoner he'd ever seen, but she hardly ever said yes for two reasons. One, she wasn't big on the loss of control, obviously, and two... she hated getting the munchies.

With a smirk on his face, Chuck let his head fall back against the brick. After years of practice, he knew just how hard to hit the brick so as not to hurt his skull. After years of being away, he finds that now, every Thursday, he's in the same spot, it's not a new spot for him, only his reasons are much different. Back in his childhood and early youth, he'd stand here, killing time and daring the teachers and staff to call him out. He'd stood in this spot, enjoying each drag and watching the drama unfold. He smiled ever so slightly, remembering how, even then, he was mostly watching Blair. What stockings she'd be wearing today. How short her skirt would be. The size of the bow on her headband. Ah, nostalgia.

Now he stood there waiting on a another brunette. The one he'd made with the first.

Once a week Chuck would leave work early to pick Lenore up from school, for an official Daddy/Daughter Night. While he was up for anything she wanted to do, Lenore always wanted to do the same thing. Have him take her round to one of Bass Industries' hotels, and walk her through. She seemed to love watching him talk to people, being introduced to them, knowing what they did for her father and why. There was no part that Lenore didn't want to hear about. And while they owned dozens of hotels, all over Manhattan, he knew she had a favourite. The Place. She requested that one more than any other, and while they walked through the lobby, kitchens and offices, she'd demand that he tell her stories about growing up there.

Chuck didn't move a muscle, but his eyes shifted around the courtyard. He saw a group of nannies and au pairs, huddled together near a side wall, waiting for their charges and trying to fly under the radar as much as possible. He recognized a couple of them from play dates, and knew Agnes was close with several of them. He saw another lone father stand beside a tree near the steps. Chuck knew that that was the class' only stay at home dad, and given his lower socioeconomic status, girth, and Old Navy dress, all of the mothers declared that they wouldn't be caught dead talking to him, but Chuck was well aware that Craig was nailing no less than three of them.

That same group of women cast glances at him now, but none of them approached him. Much like in school, people tended to stay clear of him. In High School he'd mostly been approached for sex, which was all he was usually after from them anyways, but today they knew better. One, after almost twenty years of completely monogamous marriage, it was clear that Chuck Bass was not interested in anyone other than Blair. And two, they all knew Blair would kill them if they even thought to try anything.

So, he stood, gladly, alone by the wall, and smirked thinking it would be a different story if his wife was there. The other parents would swarm around her, trying to curry her favour. Blair's favours were not easily given, but she let them try to work for it.

Sometimes Chuck couldn't believe how fast time was going. It seemed like a heartbeat ago he was waiting to pick up Harry from school. Now he was waiting for his Lenore. The first time he'd seen Lenore in her school uniform it had put a lump in his throat. His baby girl, was a little girl now. It had also killed any schoolgirl fantasies he'd been harbouring. Blair had thought this was hilarious, but given the softening affect on him had switched from naughty school girl, to parent teacher night role play. Chuck was the cowed parent of out of control children, and Blair was the domineering teacher, bent on getting him to bring his unruly children in line.

Speaking of line, he cleared his throat and straightened up when he saw the commotion at the door. He knew the children were lined up out side their class before being released, and he knew the child that had earned the most stars in the day got to be first in line. The Waldorf in Lenore made her covet that spot. The Bass in her kept her from always getting it.

He smirked at the daggers Lenore was shooting at the one child who was standing in front of her. Chuck couldn't remember seeing the boy before, but whoever he was, there was going to be hell to pay tomorrow.

As always, when the children filed out of the doors, his eyes were locked on her, waiting for the moment she saw him. Waiting for the way they'd light up when she saw him. She didn't disappoint.

"Daddy!" She bellowed with a laugh. She was never one for the demure angle, and she shoved the lone blonde in front of her out of the was, and skipped to him. She threw herself into his arms, and he hugged her back for a minute before the each pulled away.

"Where to?" He asked, already knowing.

"The Palace!"

As was their habit, Chuck held out his hand, and her's instantly gripped his. He loved the way her tiny hand felt in his. Blair kept warning him that there would come a day when she wouldn't want to hold his hand, but that day was not today. After dropping her bags with Arthur, the two began the stroll to the Palace. They talked about school, and how she'd lost her prime spot in the line, and what she intended to do about it. And what she intended had nothing to do with better behaviour tomorrow, and everything to do with making sure Finn, the new boy, was implicated in a glue spilling incident that would land top spot back in Lenore's waiting lap.

After a few minutes of silence, Chuck glanced down and saw her teeth gnawing at her lower lip and he could almost feel her brain working on something.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

She said it in the way her mother did, which was always the opposite of nothing. Chuck bit back a smile as he rolled his eyes.

"Lenore."

"How did you know you liked Mama?" She looked up at him quizzically.

"That's a loaded question..." He chuckled, a million memories flooding his brain at once.

"Well... you have to like her if you let her put her tongue in your mouth." Lenore reasoned.

Chuck blanched.

"I mean... I've never seen you let anyone else put their tongue in your mouth..." She went on, assuming her father's speechlessness was caused confusion.

Chuck Bass thought he might actually be blushing. WHY wasn't Blair here for this conversation. Let her deal with the tongue questions.

"Lenore Bass, you will be the death of me..."

She scowled and tugged his hand as hard as she could. "That's an awful thing to say, Daddy. I'm the life of you." She nodded firmly to bring her point home.

"You're right. You're the life of me."

"Now back to tongu-

"Now back to the boy." He cut her off.

"I think I like Finn. Now... Do I just go up to him and put my tongue in his mouth... or do I ask first?"

"The death of me, Lenore." He reiterated and looked up at the sky. "You're going to be the death of me."

That earned him one finger bent backwards.

At the same time, but in Central Park, Blair and Bart strolled towards the duck pond. Her hand was tucked into his elbow. His hands were driven into his pockets. They both were silent, enjoying the other's company.

They got to their favourite bench and sat, side by side, with a loaf of bread to tear between them. They watched the ducks waddle closer, and they tossed pieces, smiling at the free for all that ensued. When the bread was gone, they watched the birds wander back to the pond. Blair leaned back a little against the bench, and crossed her legs, studying her son's profile, still loving to see the pieces that were from her and the pieces that were from Chuck. She even loved the pointed tips of his ears that were all Chuck, but she'd never tell either of them that.

As she looked at him she could tell the exact moment that he thought of his brother, and her hand began to rub soothing circles into his back.

"I miss him too." She breathed as if a piece of her heart was breaking. "Everyday."

Bart looked over his shoulder at her, before he leaned back, slouched, and rested his cheek on her shoulder. Blair's head slipped onto his, and they sat a moment.

"And soon you'll be gone too, and Lenore will rule us all." Blair sighed heavily, hoping to guilt him into coming home more. She knew he'd always had a thing for Yale, like his brother. Or maybe he'd just wanted to go to Yale because of his brother...

He looked over at her, and it her her before he even said anything.

"I'm not going to Yale." He told her firmly.

A smile spread over her lips. "Because you're going to Columbia."

TahDAH. Have you ever seen a spider on your wall and let if live because it was in a low traffic area and you were in a kind mood... only to have it stalk you around your apartment afterwards... now always out of easy striking range? Just kill spiders.


	62. Chapter 62

Hello! Okay, so as I write this I should warn you that I'm running of about three hours of sleep. It just wasn't happening last night, and given how I was up at 4:28am, it apparently wasn't happening this morning either. I am going to be LOVELY today at work. But then again, I've also handed in my notice... so, what can they really do to me? BTW, yesterday I spent a half hour, hiding in an office, playing solitaire on my iPod. Employee of the year! Here we go...

Chuck sat in the still limo, as it was parked on the tarmac. He'd been engaged in the same conversation for well over twenty minutes, but his attention was pulled for several heartbeats as he watched the Bass private jet safely touch down. He hadn't even been aware that he'd held back on his breath, until he let it out. Safe. They were safe.

As the plane taxied towards the hanger where he waited, he refocused on the conversation, and spoke firmly. "This is not a negotiation. Your mother and I have been more than lenient and understanding with you for over a year. But you will do this for us. We'll see you, a week from Saturday, or there will be consequences." Chuck bit out, sharper than he'd ever spoken to any of his children, and sounding more like his own father than he ever had.

Distracted again by the plane, Chuck watched it come to a stop and the door open, stairs slowly lowering. Finished with the conversation, he ended the call, not with his usual concern and love, but with a cool, well placed, "And Harry, black-tie."

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Chuck climbed out of the car as Arthur pulled open the door for him. She's the first one off the plane, of course. Lenore doesn't wait for anyone to help her, but charges down the stairs, and runs to him. She half leaps into his arms, and he lifts her up. Her small arms wrapped tight around his neck, and they hugged tight. He hadn't seen her in a week, and in her whole life, that was the longest he'd been away from her. Blair and Lenore had left last week for Paris to have dresses made for the up coming party, visit with all the grandparents, and also have some Mother/Daughter time... which usually involved shopping, art galleries and pedicures over macarons.

"Did you miss me _soooooo_ much, Daddy?" She pulled back and looked at him with a giant grin that was missing two teeth. "Did you cry that I was away in Paris with Mother?"

He rolled his eyes with a smile. "I was devastated the whole time you were gone."

"I thought so." Lenore nodded her head knowingly. Her eyes lit up as she remembered how much she had to tell him, even though he'd heard already heard much of it during their many phone conversations. "My dress is spectacular! Bubbie designed it herself! And I got the perfect shoes! And Mother met a prince and he kissed her hand! And Grand-pere made me crepes! Papa Ramon-"

"A prince kissed your Mother?" Chuck cut her with a scowl.

Lenore gave him a conspirator's grin. "Don't worry, Daddy. I _accidentally_ spilled my hot soup on him."

"That's my girl." He grinned back.

Chuck kissed her cheek again, and then set her down in the car. After, he turned and watched the plane again. She was the last one off, of course. The flight attendant and both pilots, walked down the steps and waited for her at the bottom. She stepped out of the plane as she was sharply pulling on her tight, little, red gloves, and for a moment she stopped her clear diatribe of their performance, as she looked across the tarmac.

Their eyes met.

In three days it would be their twentieth 2nd wedding anniversary... and it was still the same. There was still that jolt when their eyes met, and that jolt was only exceeded by when they touched. After six days apart, they were drawn to each other, like the magnets they'd been since they were teenagers. With sure feet, she stepped down the stairs. With purpose and grace, they walked towards each other, eyes still locked.

Their arms wrapped around each other, she pressed her body into his, and he hoisted her up slightly so that they were connected tighter. Her lips found his in a dreamt about for days kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth, hers greeted it with welcome and vigor.

Like always it was as if they were the only two people in the world. The flight staff wasn't there, and the limo driver wasn't laying on the horn at Lenore's order. It was just them. Finally, when the couldn't muster the will, they dragged their lips apart.

"I missed you..." He said truthfully as he rubbed his forehead against hers.

"I missed you too..." She whispered, clutching his lapels a little tighter. "But don't let Lenore hear you say that."

"I'm not afraid of her." Chuck told his wife, but looked over his shoulder to be sure Lenore hadn't overheard him. He looked back at his wife. "Home?"

"Please." She smiled.

Three days later...

Blair sits at her vanity, artfully applying her makeup, with long practiced ease. Lenore sits on the seat next to her, her eyes locked on her mother's image in the mirror, as she mimics Blair's every hand stroke, onto her own skin with a clean brush.

"But why do you have to go out?" Lenore asks for the millionth time as Blair lines her eyes.

"Because sometimes, Mommies and Daddies need alone time." Blair answered for the millionth time.

"All night?" Lenore exclaimed. She'd been okay when she'd thought her parents were just going out to dinner on their own, but she'd put her foot down when she'd found out they were also going to the Empire for the night. "Just the two of you?"

"That's the idea."

"That seems boring." Lenore huffed.

"You'll sleep better at night thinking that." Blair commented, keeping her gaze on her own reflection and examining her mascara with a critical eye.

Lenore ceded this battle, because she knew it was a lost cause, and moved on. She'd also got intel that there was going to be a sitter tonight. She was not amused.

"Why can't Bart just watch me?" Lenore wanted to know.

"Because the last time he watched you on his own, you asked him to take you swimming, he did, and you pretended to drown."

Lenore smirked at the memory. "You should have seen the look on his face..."

"He didn't eat for two days afterward." Blair reminded her dryly.

Lenore shrugged. "He had been looking a little puffy anyway..."

Blair rolled her eyes, and moved on to her lips. Lenore set her brush down and shifted on her knees to peek into Blair's jewelry box, that lay open on the vanity. She delicately plucked out a stunning pair of diamond earrings, and held it up to her un-pierced lobe.

"Mother..."

"Hmmm...?" Blair commented absently, already knowing what was coming.

"I am almost nine-"

"In eight months."

"Which is practically ten." Lenore continued, ignoring her Mother's reminder. "And you said I could get my ears pierced when I was ten."

"I did and you will. When you are ten. But today, you are still only eight, so I'm not discussing it."

"Chloe got her ears pierced when she was seven." Lenore pouted.

Blair bit back her scoff. "Yes, by her vagrant aunt, with an ice cube and a pin. Chloe is lucky she didn't lose an ear."

"But don't you want me to look PERFECT for your party on Saturday?" Lenore whined dramatically. "And earrings would make me look perfect!"

"Nice try." Blair told her and turned to tap Lenore gently under the chin with one knuckle. "But no."

Lenore pursed her perfect bow lips for a moment, and then sighed, starting to pick through the jewelry in each compartment.

"So this is your twentieth anniversary?" Lenore asked idly.

"Yes." Blair replied, turning her head at different angles to make sure she looked perfect from every one.

"So you've been married to Daddy for twenty years?"

"I'm so glad your elite education is paying off." Blair commented dryly.

"Harry is twenty-three."

"That's correct." Blair said, catching on to where this was going.

"Twenty-three is more than twenty."

"Umm hmmm."

"Ew! Mother! You let Daddy do that to you without even any jewelry involved?" Lenore broke out, aghast.

Blair's brow quirked and a smile tilted her lips, as her eyes and finger tips ran over the still perfect, necklace he'd given her a million years ago.

"Blair!" The man in question called from else where in the master.

Blair smiled at his voice and the memories. It had been twenty straight years, but a lifetime before that.

"Go tell your father to wait for me in the foyer."

"Grand entrance?" Lenore asked with wide eyes, but knowing that was her mother's plan, because she'd already learned that lesson.

Giddily, Lenore slipped of her seat and was about to turn away, when she looked at her mother with giant, pleading eyes. "Just a little."

Blair rolled her eyes, but conceded. "Just a little." She said as Lenore pouted her lips and Blair spread a light shade of gloss across them. "Makeup at your age screams 'Grand Supreme Little Darling' and you don't have to try that hard."

Lenore gave her mother a sparkling smile, and went to find her father.

Several minutes later, Blair descended the wide staircase, and it paid off like she knew it would. His eyes were locked on her, and she could feel his admiration, his desire, his passion for her.

"You look beautiful..." He murmured as he kissed her cheek, and his palm against her waist sent fire racing through the fabric of her dress, and across her skin.

"Not so bad yourself, Bass." She teased, but her eyes ate up his face and body.

They pulled away at the chime of the elevator, and Lenore and Bart came in from the living room. Blair hid her smile at the lip gloss that had obviously been wiped from Lenore's lips. She imagined Chuck's pocket square bore the traces.

"I hope it's not Uncle Nate. He's on the phone to his girlfriends all night." Lenore commented, folding her arms over her chest.

Then Lenore's favourite, non-family, person stepped out of the elevator.

"Aggie!" Lenore clapped.

"Thank you..." Bart muttered as he looked skyward. Besides their parents, Agnes was the only person who could even come close to keeping Lenore in line.

Lenore was just about to launch into what she wanted them to do tonight, when someone else stepped off the elevator. Lenore froze.

The boy, who looked about her age, stood close to Agnes. "Lenore, this is my grandson, Ralph."

"Grandson?" Lenore vaguely recalled Agnes talking to her parents about her grandson coming to live with her and her husband, but since Lenore didn't think she'd ever have to meet the boy, she hadn't really cared.

Well, now that boy was standing in HER foyer, and holding HER Aggie's hand

Both children sized each other up. He looked at her with warm brown eyes that were a near perfect complement to his skin, and at first there was almost a smile to them, but when he saw her scowl, his gaze hardened up.

Everyone watched but didn't move. It was like being caught in a gun fight. Bart was the first to smirk, walk over to his mother, kiss her cheek, nod to his father, and head up to his room to get out of the way.

"Lenore, Ralph is going to be starting at St. Jude's soon." Blair explained as Chuck helped her on with her coat.

"Charity case." Lenore deducted dismissively.

"My Dad's a chemical engineer with the Military. I'm not charity case."

"The Military?" Lenore rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Public service."

Blair sent a terse smile to Agnes. "On that note, we'll leave you to it."

Chuck and Blair headed out, and Agnes sent both children to the kitchen, while she settled her and Ralph's things in the unoccupied servants quarters for the night. Without another glance, Lenore pranced into the kitchen. Ralph followed her.

In the kitchen she stepped up on a stool, took down a glass, went to the fridge and pulled out a perfect pitcher of pink lemonade. She did not offer him any. His eyes narrowed fractionally, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of gum. He popped a piece into his mouth. He did not offer her any.

"Chewing gum? How gauche." Lenore said as if she didn't care... even though she would have loved a piece of the sweet she was never allowed to have... because every time she asked, her mother told her it was the same thing she'd told him. Unfortunately, Lenore wasn't sure what 'gauche' meant, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

He ignored her, and looked around the kitchen. She couldn't help but see that he looked at her home differently than many of the other people who visited. He didn't look like he envied this home, only that he was impressed by it.

"So... this is what a poor person looks like?" She addressed him with innocent eyes.

"I'm rich in other ways." He commented.

"That's what poor people always say."

"And rich people only know to count in money and stuff." He pointed out, having grown up in a wealthy neighbourhood just off his father's base. His father had also worked with private contractors before heading into service. Ralph hadn't lied when he'd told her he wasn't a charity case, because his father was easily paying for St. Jude's outright.

"Did you notice all the people in the next room?" She held up one tiny, manicured pinky. "This is the finger I keep the wrapped around. I'm rich in _every_ way."

He snapped his gum at her.

"Is it hard for you knowing that your grandmother loves me more than she does you?" She said snidely.

"Is it hard for you being such a pain in the butt?" He asked in the same way.

"You know what?"

She cut him off before he could speak. "You can't come to my party on Saturday."

"It's not your party. It's your parents' party." He smirked.

"Same thing."

"Fine. If I don't go, my grandmother doesn't go."

"You can't do that!" She gasped.

"Watch me!" He snapped. He clasped his stomach and moaned dramatically. "OoOoOhhh! I'm feeling soooo sick! I need my Granny to stay home with me and take care of me."

He dropped his arms as he smirked at her. Lenore went ballistic.

"You can't come to any party, I ever throw, ever in my whole entire life!"

"OooOoOoo!" He looked heartbroken for one second, but than his face snapped to mockery. "I don't care!"

"I had ponies at my last party. PONIES!"

That was the point where she launched herself at him. She hit him twice before he tackled her to the ground. The noise brought both Agnes and Bart rushing into the kitchen, and it took both of them to pull the brawling children apart.

"You can do a puzzle or you can read a book." Agnes told them, still panting from the ordeal. She always was giving them educational choices, because it was a tricky way to punish them and redirect them at the same time.

"Puzzle." Both children said at the same time, and then scowled at each other.

They sat quietly for the next two hours, each trying to put together more pieces than the other. Lenore stole pieces from his completed sections. Ralph hid pieces up his sleeve.

"I hate you." Lenore muttered under her breath, as she watched him move to put the last piece in the puzzle.

He just smirked and waved it once in her face. It never made it to the table. Lenore swept her arms across the wood, scattering the pieces around the room.

It was books on opposite sides of the living room for the rest of the night.

TahDAH! Some of you might be ready to call me on something... I swore I was bringing Harry back this chapter... But as you may have noticed. No Harry. I decided to write CB's personal anniversary night, which they left for in this chapter. I wasn't originally going to, but if feels right to do so now. Timeline wise, that means it would be before their big party. So, next chapter will be their night, and the party... and most likely a return... Maybe. I shouldn't promise things.

Okay, I can't remember if I've told this story, but since it slightly inspired Lenore's faking of her near drowning in this chapter, I'll tell it again. When I was a kid... I'll say I was younger than I actually was, so you'll not think I was an evil psychopath, so like... six years old, my mom took me tobogganing with some of her friends and their children. The adults, for the most part, hung out at the top of the big hill and the kids slid down and trudged up. I was doing one run by myself, hit a bump and did a pretty wicked flip off my sled. I landed in the snow. Don't you worry! I was fine. But I didn't move. I heard my mom call my name... and for some reason I decided... not to answer. She started calling my name, louder and louder... and I just thought it was funnier and funnier. I still didn't move when I heard her running down the hill... I waited till she was close and then popped up, like, "SURPRISE! Gotcha!" Every mom who is reading this has just called me a 'little asshole' in their head, right? She was NOT amused.


	63. Chapter 63

Hello! I should stop telling you all my childhood stories. I shouldn't tell you that I got kicked out of the Christmas concert one year for talking during choir practice, and had to sit out in the hall with the Jehovah's Witness kid. At one point, I thought I'd imagined getting kicked out of choir, because I was only in like Grade Two... But then I found the notes from my teacher laying out why I wouldn't be up on stage. Maybe that's why I don't like Glee? Here we go...

Arthur held open the door of the limo for them, and Chuck ushered her ahead of him, his hand warm on the small of her back. Blair bit back a smile as she ducked her head, and got into the limo. Even after all these years, she still loved any touch from Chuck Bass.

Once they were seated next to each other, shoulders, touching, he slid his hand into hers and squeezed her fingers, before lifting it to his lips.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Bass?" He raised a brow at her. They took turns planning their anniversaries, always trying to surprise and out do the other, and this year it had just happened to fall on Chuck.

"Yes." She smiled, coyly pretending to NOT know exactly what was going to happen tonight. A tabled, candlelit dinner, from Gramercy Tavern by the duck pond. Fireworks after dessert. A night in her favourite suite at the Plaza. And presents. Lots of presents.

She looked up at him through her lashes, and her eyes caught with his. He smiled at her and she was gone. Those eyes of his... the way he looked at her like she was the most desirable woman in the world... the way she could see his love for her in his gaze... She shifted closer. Always closer. Never close enough even their bodies were so connected and intertwined, they were practically one person.

A blast from a car horn, had her glance out the back window, it was just for a second, but it was long enough for her to take note of their location. She jerked up and looked around.

"Wait? Where are we going?" Her higher pitch demanded.

Chuck smirked at her as he leaned back in victory. "Did you really think I didn't know about your spies and double agents... or should I say, triple agents?"

"Our daughter is too easily bought." Blair huffed as she fell back against the leather seat.

"She does have a price, doesn't she?" Chuck mused with a smile.

Suddenly Blair straightened up, and turned her body towards him. His eyes narrowed at the seduction that came wreaking out of her gaze.

"Chuuuuuuccckkkkk..." She purred as she leaned in, and ran her hand down his chest. Chuck swallowed hard, but he reigned himself in.

"Nice try." He chuckled. Then her hand slid past his belt, and Chuck abruptly stopped laughing.

"So... What are we doing tonight?" She cooed as her small hand worked its magic on him.

It took all his concentration to pull her hand away from his rapidly hardening body, and he held it tightly. He glanced out the window and then smirked at her. "We're here."

She climbed out of the car, and with wide eyes took in the building.

"Victrola." She whispered reverently.

Chuck came up behind her on the sidewalk, and slipped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest.

"I thought... On this night... It might be apropos to come back to where it all started." He whispered in her ear, and then kissed her hair.

"You always were honoured to play even a small role in my deflowering." She smirked at him over her shoulder.

He spun her quickly in his arms, and pulled her tightly to his body. "I've never ceased to be honoured to have played a staring role..." He practically whispered.

Her pupils dilated, and she grabbed him by the back of the neck to pull his lips to her. He pulled back at the last second, and she cried out in frustrations.

"Patience, kitten." He teased knowingly, and then started to move her towards the entrance.

Victrola had been shut down for years, but Chuck had never had the heart to sell it, no matter how many highly lucrative offers he'd received. The building was rife with memories for him, and he knew he'd never let it go. Just like he'd never let her go.

When they walked in, the space had been cleared of all furniture, with the exception of the table Chuck had ordered to be carefully set. They walked over to the intimate table, what was near the centre of the former club, and Chuck held Blair's seat out for her.

Over the next hour and a half, a small staff served them a meal of all of their favourite foods, but otherwise left the couple alone in the vast venue, lit by candles, and with soft music playing over the system.

While they were a couple that tended to tell each other everything, they spoke few words tonight. They just sat there, happy to be with each other. Happy that after twenty continuous years of marriage, they were still sitting across a small table from each other. Happy to be with the person they loved beyond reason and forever.

The plates were cleared by the staff, and then the help cleared out. They heard their footsteps retreat from the building, the slamming of the doors, the hard click of the lock.

"Alone at last..."

Blair smiled as she took a sip of her wine, and blinked slowly at him. That look, in this place, had him reeling. Her image started flashing in his mind. All the years. All the moments. Everything pulling him back to the moment where he'd had to stop lying to himself. The moment where a part of him had seen her, and acknowledged that he wanted her. More than anything else in the world, he wanted Blair Waldorf.

As she sat across from him, staring at that perfect, handsome face of his, she caught a look. Blair was an expert on reading Chuck Bass, and that look had her wheels turning.

"What?" She raised a brow at him.

He leaned back in his chair, contemplating her, before taking a slow mouthful of scotch. He smiled his eyes darting around the room, and then back to her.

"Seeing you here... You're even more beautiful than that first night. I'm just remembering a sixteen-"

"Almost seventeen." She put in.

He smiled. "Almost seventeen year old, Blair Waldorf. Up on that stage. Dancing."

"For you." She murmured.

"For me." He agreed.

"And if I hadn't?" She mused coyly.

"We'd have found our way to each other eventually..."

"We were mean to be." She smiled.

This was a new conversation. It was an anniversary traditions.

She started to stand, needing to touch her, but he stopped her by getting up first. She frowned at him as he walked away, instead of towards, her. He went to the bar and pressed a button on a remote and suddenly the curtains on the stage parted. The backdrop of the stage was draped in silken fabric, with carefully set candelabras the only lighting. Set amongst the candles, on the left of the stage, was a massive king sized bed, made with linens that shimmered against the shadows.

Blair's eyes first went to the bed, her body already reacting to the images conjuring in her mind of the hours they were about to spend on that bed, in this huge venue. The star attractions. Then her eyes looked to the right side of the stage, and she saw the piano.

"You never play for me anymore..." She gasped quietly.

"I like to save it... for special occasions." He murmured into her ear as he slipped up behind her. Moving around her, he took her hand, and led her to the stage. With her fingers still clasped in his, he took her straight to the bed, and stood her next to it. Then he slowly undressed her, down to her bra and small slip of underwear, and heels. She sat and he went to his knees in front of her. He kissed the tops of her thighs, and her head fell back. He rocked back on his heels, away from her, and took off her shoes, holding one small foot in his hand he massaged it thoroughly, before moving onto the next one. Her arms couldn't support her, and she collapsed back against the sheets.

When he stood she opened her arms to him, and he moved into them like a ship into water. Meant to be. They kissed and they touched. They had sex. They made love. They were Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck. Until they lay, spent for the moment, next to each other in bed at the heart of the theatre.

"Play for me." She huskily demanded.

She lay back on the bed, curled against the pillows, and waited. She watched him walk the short distance across the stage to the piano, tracing her way down his back and over the curve of his backside. Her body heated as she watched him.

But this was nothing compared to the rush she got when he started to play for her. She shut her eyes as the notes her husband played for her.

She listened, enthralled, as he play, perfectly, several of her favourite pieces. Finally, she could stay away from him no more. Her husband, perfectly made for her.

She got up from the bed, and she knew that he heard her, but his fingers continued to move across the keys. When she came to a stop, directly behind him, she slid her hands over the warm skin of his shoulders, and down his arms. Her breasts pressed into his back as her hands stretched to slide over his arms to near his wrists. His fingers started missing notes. Her mouth started working magic on his neck, and he had to give up the song, because he could barely catch a thought let alone have his brain send messages to his usually nimble fingers.

"I thought you wanted me to play..." He teased.

She lifted his arm, slid under it, and straddled his lap. The chill of the club was chased away by the tight contact of their naked bodies. Heating everything. Her arms went around his neck, and she touched his forehead with her own.

"Play me." She whispered against his gasping lips.

She'd always been his favourite instrument. So he did.

Much later, laying in the bed together. He'd extinguished the candles, and they were lit only by the dim, soft blue light of various exit postings and signs. He kissed her shoulder, and pulled her closer before resting his head back on the pillow.

"Twenty years ago I knew that I loved you beyond reason, deeply and forever. I couldn't imagine loving you more... but I do, Blair. Every year, every month, day, and moment spent with you... I love you even more."

Blair's eyes filled with tears, and she smiled with her soul. "Chuck Bass... When I was a little girl, I dreamed of my perfect prince. You're better than any prince. You're everything I could ever want, and a million things I never knew I'd want so much. All these years, and I'm still consumed by my love for you."

His face was a mere breath from her's, and he looked at this woman who had given him more than he'd ever dreamed. She'd given him a family. She'd given him a wife that he craved still and always. She'd given him the greatest love of his life.

She could feel him, and shared his every breath, as she looked at this man who'd made, and continued to make, her happier than she could ever dream possible. He'd given her everything that mattered. Partnership, children, family, and most importantly love. He was the love of her life. Always had been. Always would be.

"Happy anniversary, Mr. Bass." She whispered, her voice heavy with impending sleep.

"Happy anniversary, Mrs. Bass." He whispered as he tried to keep his eyes open for one last look at her before sleep claimed him.

A few days later...

The massive sit down dinner had gone off without a hitch. Naturally. The bulk of the party had moved out of one banquet room, and into a staged secondary room for drinks, before the ballroom was open for dancing.

As champagne was passed, the couple's best friends took the stage. Nate stepped up to the mic first, and he started off well, speaking of having born witness to the love story of Chuck and Blair, and attesting that they loved each other even more today, than back then. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. Beautiful. Well done, Nate. Then it got weird.

"You know, if thing had turned out a little differently, this would have been mine and Blair's anniversary..." He chuckled

"What are you doing?" Serena hissed under her breath.

"Blair'd have been able to get a breast lift, and I wouldn't be looking for my fourth wife! haha!"

"Nate..." Serena began again, her eyes darting around and seeing that his jokes were not falling on the room as funny.

"And hey, if you showed up here a few weeks ago for their first marriage's anniversary, they're validating parking at coat check!"

Blair was not amused. Chuck rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"Cut your losses, Nate." Serena muttered at him, half pushing him away from the mic. "Cut your losses."

"Tough crowd..." He sighed as he let her shove him away, but he popped back to yell into the mic. "Chuck and Blair, you two were meant to be! I love you, guys!"

"He's drunk." Blair shot at Chuck.

"I wouldn't let him drive." Chuck conferred.

Serena launched into a touching, though long winded speech about love, about Chuck and Blair, and the for some reason, penguins.

Lenore threaded quickly through the crowd. Her eyes locked on Aggie. She hadn't seen her during dinner, and she wanted to show her nanny her perfect dress. She stopped short when she saw who was with her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Here we go again." Ralph huffed. "I'm a guest."

"No, you're not. You're a crasher, and I'm calling security.

"I'm my grandmother's date." He repeated what Agnes had teased him about at home.

"He's my plus one." Agnes smiled.

Lenore scowled, and one foot lifted and slammed onto the floor. "It was meant for her husband."

"His back was acting up. Ralph graciously agreed to escort me." Agnes teased formally.

Lenore was just about to debate Ralph's non-existent level of graciousness, when her eye caught a face she hadn't seen in far too long. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"What?" Ralph looked at her expression. "Did you hit your head?"

She ignored him, because she had eyes only for one.

"HARRY!"

Five minutes earlier...

Bart leaned against the bar, plucking maraschino cherry's from a bowl and popping them into his mouth, as he scanned the crowd. He raised an eyebrow as he saw his Uncle Nate being pulled into a back sitting room by a woman Bart was sure had been around the day that bread was invented. His eyes sought out Lenore, because despite security being tight, he wanted to keep an eye on her. She started darting around people, and he craned his neck to spot her target. Agnes. Bart should have known. He almost laughed when he caught the look on her face when she spotted Ralph. Lenore had hated the boy from the start, because of his claim on her nanny, but it had gone nuclear when Blue had been found, curled up at Ralph's side in the servant's quarters the next morning.

A girl from his AP Chemistry class, slid up beside him. She was so close he could feel her body's heat through her thin dress. Bart didn't even look over at her. He didn't have to. She was like all the other girls in his classes. Generic. He knew her name, but it didn't matter. It could have been anyone.

She took one of his cherries. She did something to it with her tongue.

"What a waste of a cherry..." He said before looking away. She left in a huff.

Checking back on Lenore, he caught the elation on her face. It was explained a heartbeat later.

"HARRY!"

Five minutes earlier...

Blair had slipped away, out onto an empty balcony. She looked out over her city, and sighed. Her second term was going to be coming to the end soon, and she was starting to think about what she wanted to do next. But tonight, she just wanted to enjoy, enjoy celebrating a marriage that she loved and was proud of... and perhaps snubbing her nose at all the high school minions who'd bet it would last.

She wasn't surprised by the arms that slipped around her from behind. Her gasp was from the jolt that naturally went through her. Her arms wound over his, helping him hold her.

"Blair..." He whispered in her ear.

Gooseflesh ran down her neck. "Chuck..."

"Be happy."

"I am."

"I really did think he'd be here..."

"Me too."

"That's it. We're leaving everything to the two that showed up." He teased.

She managed a smile, but it fell away. Tonight was nearly perfect. It was just missing one thing.

"HARRY!"

They heard Lenore's shout from outside, and Blair full out ran back into the ballroom. Here eyes scanned feverishly for the beloved face of her son, and within seconds they found him. Blair's happiness came gushing out of her as she ran to him, and threw herself at him. Harry caught her and for a long moment, they hugged each other tight. She finally pulled back, and clasped his face between her hands.

"I've missed you!"

His expression had been oddly nervous and guarded until that moment, but it softened as he looked down at his mother. "I missed you too."

Harry looked over his mother's shoulder and locked eyes with his father. They didn't speak, Chuck just pulled him into his arms for a near back breaking embrace.

"HARRY!" Lenore screamed, stomping her foot. "It's my turn for a hug! I saw you first, and Mother and Daddy budded in line!"

Harry pulled away with a small, tight chuckle, and picked his indignant little sister up. "You're right. Forgive me?"

"I don't know..." She furrowed her brow, contemplating him.

"I brought you a present." He rolled his eyes.

"YOU'RE FORGIVEN!" She declared and hugged him tight.

With Lenore still in his arms, Harry's eyes scanned the crowed. Searching. Family and friends were beginning to gather closer, and Harry knew he didn't have much time. He was so harried that he barely registered how his brother hung back. Watching.

"I knew you'd come!" Blair declared happily, clapping her hands.

"Mother... Dad... There's something I have to tell you-"

"Good evening. I'd say happy anniversary, but you know how I hate wishing you any happiness."

All eyes shifted to the black clad woman who had snuck up next to Harry in the chaos.

"Georgina?" Serena murmured from the surrounding circle.

"What are you doing here, Georgina? This party is by invitation only. But it's good to know you got fat... Like I always knew you would." Blair finished in a clipped dressing down voice.

"I'm eight months pregnant." Georgina scowled,

"I didn't know the elderly could breed?" Blair replied. "While you've clearly made a pact with the devil to breed, I'll still have to tell you to leave. Or better yet, let me get a security guard, with anger management issues, to throw you out on your huge ass."

"I figured family didn't need an invitation... So I just showed up." Georgie shrugged innocently. To innocently.

Blair suddenly caught how nervous her oldest son was. And the way Georgina's hand rested on Harry's arm.

"Harry, what is she talking about?" Blair demanded with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Harry cleared his throat, putting his confused little sister down, and putting an arm around Georgina. "Mother, Dad... I'd like you to meet my wife Georgina-"

"Bass." Georgina finished for him with relish.

TahDAH! SoOOoooooOoooOoo? Do you hate me? Trust me! I have a plan! Just like the Cylons.

I love to people watch. My favourite place is the passport office, but the airport is fun too. FYI, that is where I'm sitting now, crazy early for my flight. When going through security a little old lady was behind me. I think the woman was headed for a cavity search. They asked her if she had and liquids. She said no. Hello, water bottle. She went through the metal detector and lit the puppy up. They made her take off everything but her dress. Poor little, barefoot old lady. Then they found the big tube of toothpaste in her carryon. And she was never seen again. Just kidding. Maybe.

Now? Now I'm sitting with a half hour left to board, having been here an hour already, and I've only just realized I'm sitting next to a condom. I'm going to leave it all up to your imaginations as to whether it was used or un-used.

BTW, after two years and a bit years, I've written ITY in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. I need to stop moving. Maybe then I'd have more than two pairs of jean, three pairs of shoes, and stop having to nab plastic cutlery from restaurants all the time. I know. Rebel. Oh, and I'm exhausted and even more careless with my typos. Forgive me?


	64. Chapter 64

Hello! I have to say, one of the sweetest things is how much you all trust me! Pretty much across the board, reactions were, "WTF?! ... but I'll trust you to have this all flush out well." AW! I have awesome readers and reviewers. Except for louboutinlove, who gave me the most accurately believable reader threat to date. I'm now in hiding. Do you have Olympic fever? I have Olympic fever... It's bled into my writing. Oops. Here we go...

Blair looked at this woman, who had been a pain in her ass for more years than she'd care to cop to, and her shock took over as her mind spun to process. "Harold Bass, what did you just say?"

"Bass. Georgina Bass." Georgie spoke for the rather grey looking young man beside her. "Rolly and I are married."

Nate, who'd come to stand at Chuck's side, looked around.

"I'm confused. Don't say it!" He pointed at Blair, knowing it was bound to be pointed out that he was often confused. Then he continued with his pressing question. "Who the hell is Rolly?"

Georgina turned slightly to smile up at Harry, and ran her hand down his chest. "Rolly Bass. I just could never bring myself to call the man I love, 'Harry'." Georgina shuddered dramatically. "Besides, Harry is so... banal. So... American..."

"We're American." Lenore said proudly. Not liking the way this woman spoke about her brother or the tension coming from all the adults she loved around her.

"Yes..." Georgina drawled, looking down her nose at the little girl. "You are that. And fifty-percent new money. Why should my husband have to bare that noose around his neck so publicly? No, Rolly is so much more worldly. European."

Lenore made a sour face at Georgina.

"Careful." Georgie drawled. "Your face might freeze like that, and then no body would want to play with you."

"Everybody wants to play with me." She scowled up at G. "I'm Lenore Bass."

Chuck almost smiled. Almost. Like father like daughter.

Georgina slowly turned her head to look at Blair, triumph in her every gesture, before she spoke with fake concern.

"Mother dear," Georgina looked at Blair with wickedly thrilled eyes. "You really should consider botox. I can see ever crease on your face. Or at least shut your mouth. Rolly and I would hate to have you committed."

Blair's mouth slammed shut, and she became very conscious of the large crowd that surrounded them. The world was spinning, but then she felt Chuck's firm, supportive hand on her elbow, and it centred her. All expression washed from her face, and her neck elongated, back straightened, and chin edged up. Everything in her posture and tone was regal.

"Congratulations." Blair said coolly. "Please, enjoy the party. If you'll excuse me a moment, I'd just like to have a word with my husband."

With that, Blair turned on her heel, and calmly walked away, Chuck at her side, his hand on her back.

The crowd watched her go, and Georgina hated the admiration she could sense from the many party goers towards her long nemesis. With Blair gone, the smile fell from her face, and she glanced over at Serena.

"S... Is that some grey I see in your blonde? Whatever would Cece say?" Then she grabbed Harry by his elbow, as it looked like he was going to go follow his mother, and pulled him away. "Rolly, I'm hungry. Get me a plate."

Harry ignored her.

Lenore was still standing in front of him, looking confused, and Harry was about to kneel to speak with her, assure her that everything was going to be okay, when Bart stepped out of the crowd. Without a word, he picked Lenore up in his arms, and without a glance at his brother, turned and walked away. Harry watched them, his eyes never leaving Lenore's, who watched him over their brother's shoulder.

Across the venue, in a private room off the hall, Blair stood in the centre of the room, staring at nothing. Chuck stood at her side, staring at her.

Finally, she turned her head and asked him. "What are you looking at?"

He raised a brow, and continued to contemplate her. "I'm trying to figure out if you're going to faint for the first time in your life, and if I'm standing close enough to catch you?"

She would have rolled her eyes, but she wasn't sure he wasn't onto something. Again they were silent, until there was a small knock at the door. Chuck went and opened it a crack, then more fully when he saw the two people who stood there. Serena and Nate stood there, ready to stand as sentries, guarding the door till their friends were ready to come out, but first held out a tumbler of scotch, and a very full martini.

"Keep them coming." He said as he took the drinks, nodded his thanks, and then shut the door with his foot.

He indicated the couch with his head, and like a zombie, Blair sat. Chuck pressed the drink into her hand, watched her lift it to her lips and down it in large swallows. He tossed back his own, and then took both empty glasses, setting them aside, before sitting next to his wife.

Blair knew, without having to ask, that Chuck was just as blindsided by this as she was.

"Molested. She's molested our son. We should call the police!"

"He's twenty-three." Chuck reminded her.

"Well, than he's lost his mind."

"I wouldn't say you were wrong."

They went silent. "We need to get him alone. Talk to him."

"Agreed." Chuck said firmly. "But I would bet money his new... wife isn't about to let that happen anytime soon."

"When I kill her and you help me dispose of the body, we'll have plenty of time to find out just exactly what he was thinking."

"You know I'll help you get rid of a body any day of the week... but killing Georgina might not be prudent at the moment."

It was the first even hint of a mention of Georgina's condition. Blair's face went white.

"Are we going to talk abou-" As he started to talk about the other elephant in the room.

"Let's deal with one thing at a time." Blair exhaled. "I just want... to get through this party."

Chuck looked at her, took her hand, and lifted it to his lips. "I'm sorry. Our anniversary was supposed to be perfect."

She found her first smile in the last hour. Her eyes warmed, and her other hand found his jaw. Stroking. "It was. Victrola was perfect. You were perfect... with the exception of the piano key marks that are still on my ass."

He chuckled, and then kissed her. She sighed as he pulled away.

"That night was a celebration for us. Tonight was more for them. It's okay that tonight has gone to hell in Crazy Nut Job's hand basket."

Chuck was just helping her to her feet, when there was a soft tap at the door. Blair called out a greeting, and her best friend's head popped in.

"Everyone still alive? Blair didn't have a stroke?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "I'm fine."

"Damn. I really wanted all your vintage Dior." Serena teased.

"Forget that. I'm being buried with all my couture." Blair haughtily breezed back.

"Nards. I guess I'll just have to add, 'grave robbing' to the list of requirements for my next husband."

"You have a list? I thought you just picked them up like strays? You're one husband away from being honoured by the SPCA." Blair commented as she pulled out her compact to check her image.

"Ouch." Serena smiled. "Someone is feeling better."

"I'm trying to look on the bright side. I'm married to a wonderful man, who I love with every fiber of my being." Blair smiled over at Chuck, snapping the compact shut. "And all my children are home."

"Funny you should say that..." Serena said with a stilted tone.

"S?" Blair pressed.

"Harry said Georgina was tired, so he'll see you at home."

"Fine." Then Blair snapped. "Wait? What?"

"Yeah, I was hoping if I acted vague enough, you wouldn't catch that last part." Serena told them.

"He's taking her to our home?"

Serena looked over at Chuck. "Why do I feel Manhattan may need to be evacuated?"

"We own most of it already anyway." Chuck replied, squeezing Blair's hand.

Chuck looked at his wife, who's perfect mask was securely in place, because no outsider was going to see what was going on underneath.

"Ready?" He asked, offering her his elbow.

"Of course." She smiled at him.

The Basses walked out and into the throng, to finish the party flawlessly. It was just their way.

Hours later, when they got home, Harry and Georgina were nowhere to be seen, but staff informed them that the couple had retired for the evening.

Blair looked over at Chuck and raised a brow. "We're going to have to move."

Over the next couple of days, Georgina made it her goal to never let Harry out of her site. She seemed determined to control the story, and so Chuck and Blair had to hear it through a Georgina filter. According to her, Harry and she had met on the beach in Brazil. They'd ended up talking all night, and in the morning they were standing in front of a minister, getting married. After hearing that, Blair didn't even have to look at Chuck to know he'd be reaching out to his contacts in South America, to see if it all was legal. They didn't bring up the baby. But Georgina did. Often.

They'd started trying right away, because given her age, time was running out, and since marriage was forever, they didn't want to wait. When Georgina coyly looked over at Blair and told her as soon as she was over having this baby, they were going to start trying for a second, Blair threw up a little in her mouth.

Blair and Chuck also quickly noticed that it wasn't just Georgina never letting them be alone with Harry. Harry was also actively ensuring he never faced his parents. One night, as they lay in each other's arms, in their locked master bedroom, with a chair set against the door, Chuck felt Blair's tears wet the silk of his pajamas.

"Blair..." He whispered achingly, his fingers rubbing her neck as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"It's like he's back, but he's not here..."

"I know. I'm sorry."

She sat up to look down at him. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I should have dragged his spoiled ass back to New York a long time ago, like you wanted." He bit out, second guessing everything. Second guessing himself.

She shook her head, hair swinging around her face. "No, Chuck. He needs to make his own mistakes."

"This seems more catastrophically bad, rather than just a mistake... That we're paying for out the ass."

"True." She agreed. "But I'm still glad he's here."

Chuck pulled her down again, and back into his arms. They slept, thankful that their room was soundproof.

Bart sat on the far side of his bed, leaning back against the pillows that were set against the headboard. While he would usually stretch out, he wasn't able to do so, because the Little Dictator had taken up more than her fair share of space on the bed. Lenore, lay on her belly, legs bent at the knee, and small feet occasionally kicking up in the air. Brother and sister stared at the TV screen that was mounted on the wall, and watched the Women's Olympic Gymnastic finals. Blue lay in front of her, tiny blue bow pinned to his fur, and purred loudly as Lenore absently scratched his neck.

As Gabby Douglas flew through the air, in human perfect and ability, Lenore briefly glanced over her shoulder at her brother.

"I could do that." She declared before quickly looking back at the screen, not wanting to miss anything.

Bart raised an eyebrow at her and hid his smirk. Who was he to tell her the Basses were not athletes. Little did he know, but he really should have suspected, that Lenore would be on the monkey bars in a few days, determinedly moving across the apparatus, with no arm strength, but never ending will. She'd make it, kicking Ralph twice in the head on her way.

But tonight, watching the screen, Lenore could see no limit to her ability to be just as much of a flyer. As they watched the screen, they both knew the second they were being watched.

"Well..., look who it is. Hello, Rolly." Bart drawled, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Harry!" Lenore greeted, in the exact opposite way her brother had.

Harry walked into the room, and sat next to his sister. "So, this is Miss Bonnie Blue?" He asked, stroking the cat's fur.

"Blue." Lenore told him. She'd already talked to him many times about her cat over the phone and Skype, but tonight was their first face to face introduction.

She hoisted the now protesting cat, up into her arms. "Blue, this is your Uncle Harry. Harry, this is your nephew Blue."

Blue gave a long meow and then sprang from Lenore's arms, bounded across the floor and then out the door. "Blue! What have I said about leaving without permission!"

Lenore took off after her cat, determined to bring him back... whether he liked it or not. It was the same rule she had with his hair bows.

Harry smiled after his sister, and then looked over at his brother. Over the last few days, while he knew he'd been laying low with his family, Harry knew his brother was going out of his way to avoid him. It was an entirely new experience for them.

"So... you know rooting for a country, that's largely frozen most of the year, during the Summer Games... You won't hear their anthem too often." Harry teased, having made note of Bart's CANADA t-shirt.

Bart didn't look up. He merely stood, and walked directly into his bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. Harry was still staring at that closed door when Lenore came back, no cat, but a blue bow clutched in her hand.

"Okay, Blue won't come out from under my bed, but I think if I can get an umbrella, I may be able to nudge him out." Lenore mused with a shrug.

She looked around and saw Harry standing in the centre of the room, staring at nothing.

"Where's Bart?"

"In the bathroom."

"Did he eat salmon. That happens when he eats salmon." Lenore said matter of factly.

"No. But I imagine he does want me to eat something- I won't say in front of you- and die, right about now." Harry mused. "He has to come out sometime."

"He's got a mini-fridge and a TV in there. He never has to come out ever again. Did you hit your head? You're acting like you hit your head."

"I didn't hit my head."

Lenore sighed and leaned into his side, resting her head against him. "Even weird... I'm glad you're home."

Harry smiled and ruffled her hair, which earned him a scowl, as she quickly straightened it, and adjusted her headband.

"Me too." Harry.

TahDAH! I know what you all are thinking. You're about ready to tell me that I didn't explain Georgina and Rolly. And I know, I haven't properly flushed it out. But in my head I see it coming from Harry's POV, and that's something I see for the next chapter. Forgive me?Okay, so I was getting into my mom's car, in the middle of nowhere Ontario, and I saw a frog (later to be told it was a toad, but for the purpose of this anecdote, we'll just go with frog) just off the drive way. I looked at it and noticed it was trying to move, but didn't seem to be able to. I went closer to get a better look, and I thought one of its legs was stuck between some branches. I almost tried to free it myself, but I'm a city girl. I'll call someone in on this. I yelled for my stepdad to save the frog. He went over looked down and was like, "Yeah, its stuck because its foot is down the mouth of a garter snake." My mom is scared of very few things. Snakes are one of them. She screamed for him to get rid of it, I screamed for him to save the frog (toad), and he looked at us like we were crazy.

BTW, while I'm staying with her? I baked 4 and a half cakes. Don't ask why one is a half. To all my fellow non-bakers/non-cookers/dust your oven more than you use it type people... parchment paper does not catch on fire. I KNOW! I didn't believe it either! I thought it was a cruel joke being perpetrated on me by chief type people.


	65. Chapter 65

Hello! Okay, so here I am. Back in Toronto! It weirdly feels like the past year and a half lived in Vancouver was almost a dream. A cool, overcast, mountainy, oceany, beautiful dream. Tonight, for the first time in almost three years, I will sleep on a bed I actually own. The Bed Delivery dudes, both well over six feet tall, brought it in a couple of hours ago. As they were setting it up, I opened up the new bed skirt I'd bought, and asked if we could put it on before we put the mattress on the boxspring. So... the last bed skirt I had was like a sheet. This one? Like a long ribbon. Cut to the two big men, debating and working together over how to correctly hang, cute fold, and place my silvery bed skirt. It took three tries. They were adorable and awesome. Btw, my bed's name is Edgar. Welcome to the family Edgar! Oh, and my apartment came with a futon. If anyone has any tips on how to keep the frakking mattress on the stupid frame... please share. Here we go...

Bart stretched as he got up from his bed, and then shook himself like a dog to beat away the last remnants of sleep from his long afternoon nap. With eyes half Bassed, he wandered into his closet, tugged on clothes with a sigh, pulled his bag over his shoulder, and then slipped out of his rooms.

He usually would have sought out his family, but today Lenore was sleeping over at Chloe's, and his parents were out to dinner. Bart knew Harry was home, but he wasn't knocking on that door. So instead he headed straight to the elevator, texting as he went.

By the time he reached the sidewalk, his limo was at the curb, and he climbed in, slouching against the leather seats as it pulled away. Pressing his playlist button on the limo's internal sound system, he looks out the window as the lights of the city he loves, flit by to the beat of Arcade Fire's Modern Man. As the car rolled over the bridge, Bart's fingers found the buttons of his shirt, and he stripped himself of the clothes his mother had bought for him last week. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out another set of clothes, and was changed into them by the time he reached his destination, or more accurately, two blocks away from his destination. His driver opened his door for him, and Bart handed him a generous bill, that would buy his continued silence, then nodded at the man, knowing he'd be back after midnight to pick him up.

Harry sat so far forward in his seat, that his breath fogged the window, obscuring his view of his brother, and he had to quickly wipe it away to track Bart's movements. With his mouth still hanging agape, he fell back against the seats of his own limo, after his brother had disappeared into the brightly lit building.

He stepped out of the car, and his nose crinkled as the scent of Staten Island filled his nose. Harry looked around, as if searching for the source of the joke that had landed him in this of all boroughs. He'd been home for a couple of weeks now, long enough to notice his brother's new pattern. Harry had always known more about his rubik's cube of a brother than almost anyone, which is why, even after all this time, he knew that his brother was breaking habits. Bart was a homebody. He had always rather stay in with the family, than go out with friends or to a club. In fact Harry could distinctly remember the baleful looks he'd received from a younger Bart, as Harry had headed out with a group of friends. Hell, his little brother was starting Columbia in the fall, and had made it clear that he had no intention of experiencing dorm life, and every intention of sleeping in his same bed every night.

While Harry knew he'd been gone a while, he knew Bart wasn't fully capable of change. He'd been born a creature of habit. So, it was with this knowledge of Bart, that Harry was baffled as to where his little brother would disappear to each Saturday afternoon, and not come home until well into the night, looking exhausted and... greasy.

It also didn't seem to be something his parents were overly concerned about, because during breakfast one morning he put the question to his father.

"He's 18, and still doesn't leave State lines..." Chuck had commented, nonplussed as he read the paper. "I seem to remember flying to Milwaukee to bail out a certain 18 year old... twice."

When he asked his mother she looked at him with wide, overly innocent eyes. "Yes. It is disheartening to have someone you love disappear and you not know where they are, or whether or not they're okay, isn't it?"

"Guilt taken." Harry had grumbled as he'd turned and walked away, still avoiding any discussion on the subject of his recent past and present.

So in the end he'd taken matters into his own hands. This Saturday he'd waited, watched, and then followed his brother all the way to Staten Island. And, yes, he grasped the irony of stalking the brother who'd always stalked him, quite well.

For a few moments he looked at the building with utter disdain, then took a deep breath, braced himself, and went in. He spotted Bart right away It was worse than he had imagined.

"Welcome to McDonald's, can I take your order?" Bart asked, looking up for the first time to see his brother at the front of his line.

"Seriously, Bart?" Harry derided with hands thrown out wide to indicate the fast food restaurant.

"Do you want fries with that?" A sardonic Bart replied, and tapped his name tag that declare him to be Tommy.

Harry looked up to the sky, and by sky he saw a glistening, clearly spotted tiled ceiling, and pondered for the millionth time how he had the patience to be this boy's brother. Harry really felt he deserved a medal.

Given that it was clear that Bart was going to now ignore him, Harry walked out of the Golden Arches, and sat in his limo to wait. It was half past twelve when Bart and a couple of his fellow McD's employees came out and locked the place up. He watched Bart wave them off and pull out his phone, hanging back. When they were gone, Harry instructed the limo to coast over, and Bart looked up, not surprised to see his brother's face in the rolled down window.

"I've cancelled your car, so you can either get in or actually spend a night in this borough. I'm sure there are lovely benches for you to wake up spooning a meth addict with."

Bart rolled his eyes, but got in, throwing himself into the long seat that ran the length of the car, parallel to the bar. He knew Harry was staring at him, but he really didn't care.

"You have... a job." Harry bit out incredulously.

"Part-time." Bart commented, not opening his eyes.

"You say that as if it makes it better."

"Minimum wage." Bart said deliberately to twist the knife.

"Please stop talking." Harry muttered, looking ill. "Do Mother and Dad know?"

Bart just shrugged, the first half smirk of the night tilting his lips. He had never spoken to them about it, but he imagined they did. Bart loved his life, his family, the privilege that that life and family provided him. But he also loved to watch. One of the few downsides to Bart's life was that he was provide a rather limited view of world. He wanted to know more, see more. Over the last year, with his brother gone, he'd found the urge to step into another life for brief periods a curiosity he couldn't ignore.

So he'd bought a fake ID under Thomas Anderson, since the Bass name echoed around all edges of New York, and he'd gotten a job. It hadn't started here. First he'd been a cashier in a small book store in Queens. A movie theatre attendant in the Bronx. He'd bused tables at a dinner in Brooklyn. While McDonalds hadn't been the first, it was the one Bart had had the best time at. It wasn't for the food, even though he did enjoy their french fries dipped in a vanilla milkshake, no it was for the people. The other places he'd worked had been quiet. Here? Everyone came into McDonalds eventually, and it gave him the opportunity to see more.

"Is this because of a girl?" Harry asked into the long silence, wanting to know.

Bart opened his eyes as he rolled them.

"How stupid of me." Harry said cooly. "I forgot I was talking to my brother, the monk."

"Better a monk than a boy toy..."

Harry tensed, feeling the balance shift from him. "That's not what I am."

Bart merely raised a brow, indicating that was exactly what he believed Harry was, with a side order of something else.

Reading his brother, Harry sighed. "Alright. Maybe I'm part revenge for her."

The driver had clearly been given instructions to drive around till he was told to stop, so Bart settled back and listened to his brother.

Harry had met Georgina as he drank heavily on a beach. After months of pushing down and hiding from the pain, it had all come out to this stranger who seemed so kind, and also because he could see a similar pain in her own eyes. After he'd spoken of his friends, of their loss, she told him briefly of her own. She'd had a son, an obnoxious pain in the ass, perfect son, who had been killed cliff diving several months ago. He had been the only person, besides herself, that she'd ever really loved.

That night he'd met a woman who'd hurt as he hurt. They'd spent the night drinking and talking, however he'd later come to think about how she'd been ordering or pouring the drinks, and he'd woken 24hrs later next to her in a suite, with a ring on his finger and a marriage certificate by the bed.

He'd thought the numbness of the last few months would have lifted after the venting of the night before, but he'd been wrong. He woke up, still not caring about much, not the life he'd left or the new wife beside him in bed, although he did realize she looked much older in the daylight than she had last night on the darkened beach.

Since he didn't really care, and she seemed to care greatly, he allowed her to stay with him, put on the show of marriage. He knew on some level he was aping life, but he told himself it was a step up from what he'd been doing before.

It had been months before he'd found out who she was, her history with his parents, and her agenda. By then it had been too late to leave.

Harry had been blankly staring out the window, and as he finished as much as he wanted to tell, he shook his head and looked over at his brother. Bart's eyes were solely focused on him, with pure Bass intensity. Harry cleared his throat, knowing what his brother wanted to know, but after a great deal of avoidance, what Harry least wanted to tell.

"The baby..." Harry said. "I won't lie to you and say it was my idea, in fact... She said she missed being a mother... that she wasn't getting any younger... she kept talking... and I just..."

Bart gave him a look that told him what he thought of what he'd done.

"I wasn't thinking about... later." Harry cleared his throat, not liking this topic at all.

"Ppht." Bart grunted making it clear he didn't think Harry was even thinking about now.

Silence filled the car again, and while there had been an ease to the tension between the brothers, it was still there.

"Just say it."

A glint of steel came to Bart's eye, which was at odds with his relaxed pose.

"Get it over with." Harry told him, tired of his brother's mood.

For a moment he didn't think Bart would do it.

"You selfish asshole." The younger Bass said in the coldest voice Harry had ever heard him use. "Do you have any idea of what you did to them? What you continue to do to them?"

"I know-"

"Do you? I work at these places... I see these families... Some are like ours. Others? They've got nothing. And I'm not talking about money. These parents come in with their kids... and you can see they don't even care. If there's love it's buried away or a hot fudge sundae and fries are given in it's place. We were lucky to get our parents. All they've ever done is love us, and you're an idiot to take that for granted."

It was the most he'd ever probably said. It looked like it had exhausted him, but that he'd had to say it.

"What should I do?"

"You've always been the fixer. Fix it."

Harry sat there, knowing his brother was right. He had been an idiot and an asshole. He'd run away, cut the off, married a woman who he felt nothing for but who he'd learned felt a great deal of animosity towards them, and had made her the mother of their first grandchild. Even after all of that, he knew that they still loved him. Totally and completely.

Bart watched his brother through half closed eyes, and saw Harry coming back, saw the person who'd been missing since the accident coming back to them, coming back to himself.

"Shit." Harry cursed as he thought about where he was.

Bart almost smiled as he folded his hands behind his head. "Well, at least if she's the mother of my nephew, she can't be aiming for having notched three generations of Bass men under her belt. Unless my namesake had a yen for lamb over mutton."

"I'm going to throw up."

"Can I stop talking now? It really is rather taxing." Bart commented dryly, closing his eyes again.

"Sure. Talk in another 18 years?" Harry teased.

Bart nodded, happily saying nothing.

"By the way... You smell like meat."

"It's adorable that you think that that is what they serve there."

Harry signaled the driver to take them home, and he turned on the phone he'd shut off hours ago. Georgina had been calling and texting him non stop, and he'd finally just turned it off, needing a break from her constant demands and neediness. Harry sighed, starting to formulate a plan.

Not surprisingly there were a million and one messages from Georgina. He started skimming through them, and then jerked up in his seat with a curse. Bart looked at him.

"Her water broke."

Bart threw up in the limo's waste paper bin.

They got to Lennox Hill and Chuck met them in the lobby. A nurse rushed him to labour and delivery, because the baby was coming fast. Chuck walked in to see his mother standing by Georgina's shoulder. No one looked more shocked about this than her.

Blair's eyes were trained heavenward as she intreated. "What did I do? What did I do that was so wrong that you set me here, in this place... with her?" She said the last with complete disgust.

Georgina screamed extra loud as a contraction hit. "BECAUSE YOU'RE BLAIR WALDORF AND YOU'RE PSYCHOTIC!"

"Well... takes one to know one. It's just sad how often I have to remind you who's the crazy bitch around here." Blair snipped, spotting Harry, she managed a smile before leaning down and whispering in G's ear. "By the way, the doctor with the drugs isn't stuck in traffic... I bought him a cottage. He's on his way there now..."

Georgina screamed so loud blood vessels popped in her cheeks.

Blair smiled victoriously. "Enjoy natural labour!"

Her laughter followed her as she walked away from the woman, and towards Harry.

"I'll be just outside if you need me."

Harry nodded, still stunned at what was happening, but went and stood by his wife. She screamed and cursed and two hours later... he was here.

The doctor placed the bellowing baby onto her chest. Georgina's arms came around the baby, but her eyes looked vague and distant as they looked down on the small face.

"He looks just like Milo..."

The nurses took the baby to be washed and weighed, and Harry went to tell his family. He got to the waiting room and it was filled with not only his parents and siblings, but his grandparents, Aunt Serena and cousin Chloe, and Uncle Nate with a couple of his kids. Chuck handed him a coffee that was heavily laced with booze.

"It's a boy." Harry said.

Harry hung out with his family, and then headed to the room they'd taken Georgina too. Chuck and Blair waited a while, and then looked at each other, as if silently asking if they were ready to meet their new grandchild... which would actually be official after they ran a paternity test, but for now they'd meet the baby. Blair held out her hand, Chuck took it. They squeezed.

When they got to the room, they were surprised to find the bed empty. Glancing around they spotted Harry, sitting in a chair, with a small blanketed bundle in his arms.

"Where's Georgina?" Chuck asked, thinking she must be in the washroom.

"Gone."

"What do you mean... gone?"

"I mean... she's gone, she left a note. She made a mistake, and changed her mind. When I got here he was alone."

Blair and Chuck looked at each other and then back at their son. Chuck opened his mouth to bring up the paternity test, but stopped when Harry raised his head.

His eyes were full Bass. "He was alone. That won't happen again."

TahDAH! So... I believe they're discontinuing my favourite brand of deodorant. It's a travesty I tell you! I've worn the same one for many, MANY years... and now, here I am, auditioning new brands. What?

Points if you can name the movie I had Bart take Thomas Anderson from. Oh, and how mad would people be if Harry named the baby George?


	66. Chapter 66

Hello! Okay, so I initially wrote a very lengthy, and cutting response to the three human beings that felt the need to tell me, in a public review, that ITY used to be good, but I'd ruined my own fic/story and that I should just stop writing it. After I wrote the venting piece, I left it, came back today and deleted it, for two reasons. One I feel exactly the same as I did when I first started writing fics. For as long as I can remember I've told myself stories in my head. The ones that are tied to a show, be it GG or OTH, I've written down and posted. I do it because I enjoy it. I share it because maybe a few others would enjoy reading it. I don't think I've ever really been one of those authors that make demands on their readers, begging or coercing you for reviews. It's just not my style, in RL or online. I write because I like to. I greatly appreciate everyone who takes the time to read ITY, and of course it feels good when you all like it. However, if you don't and decide to stop, it's okay with me. But you also don't have to be an asshole when you do it. Just stop reading if you think it sucks. I'm a huge believer in freewill. The second part is that I refuse to give too much weight to these individuals. The vast majority of people who have reviewed have been incredibly lovely, and I thank you all so much. To the readers that stick with me and ITY, but don't review, I thank you as well. In short, this is a hobby for me. I do not get paid for writing this, and you do not have to pay to read it. If I didn't like doing it anymore, I'd stop. If you don't like reading it anymore, feel free to just stop. But once again, big hugs to everyone who is in the ITY car, and wants to finish the ride with me! Here we go...

Violet stepped out of her bathroom, hair washed, dried and now with perfectly set loose curls falling around her face, past her shoulders, and almost half way down her back. She grabbed the dress she'd laid out on the bed and pulled it up her body, wiggling into its tight contours. With her dress in place, she added her carefully selected accessaries, belt, chunky necklaces and sparkly headband, before she turned and looked with a trained eye at the two pairs of heels she'd left out. She put one on each foot and skipped to the full-length mirror by her dresser, to see the result. Standing in place she balanced on one foot and then the other to see which pair worked best with her outfit. Black Dior peek-toe. No question.

She'd already decided to forgo earrings for the night, but as her eyes shifted over her jewelry box, they landed on the two framed photos that were also set there. The first one was of her, Harry, and his little brother. It had been taken the summer they were eleven, and swimming in his family's Hampton's pool. She and Harry were in the water, both avid swimmers, while a land loving Bart sat on the deck, only his feet in the water. She remembered his mother taking the picture. She remembered his father laying in a lounger eating grapes as he tossed silver dollars into the pool for them to dive down to the bottom to get. They'd always got to keep whatever they could bring back up to the surface.

Violet smiled at the memory. She loved every moment of her time spent with the Basses. As cold and ruthless as they appeared to the world, they were by far the closest family Violet had met. Then or since.

The picture next to it was newer. It had been taken only a few summers ago, when she and Harry had toured through Europe together... with his three college roommates. Violet remembered that at first, when Harry had told her he'd invited his Yale friends along, she'd been more than a little put out. She may have sent a strip-o-gram to his family's home when she knew he'd be there and would be in the middle of a full Bass dinner. She'd admitted later to him that, alright, maybe the male little person stripper might have crossed the line. Apparently, for months after, his little sister had asked why the construction worker had interrupted their dinner to take his clothes off.

Violet laughed with a shrug, wishing she could have been there, and pushed her naked foot into the empty pump. She frowned for a second, thinking of her best friend. He'd dropped off the side of the world, for what felt like forever, when his friends had died. It had nearly broken her heart to scarcely hear from him. Violet had nearly flunked her year at university. Now Harry was back, and they talked and Skyped often, but she was more worried about him than ever. He was a single father, now that he'd was raising a young baby. Violet shuddered at the thought. Ew, babies.

"Violet! Let's go!" Her flatmate, Fiona, bellowed from the living room.

"In a minute!" She was perfectly ready, but hated to be rushed. She checked her phone and knew she'd wait three minutes before heading out to join her roommate and the group of girlfriends who were headed out to a club with them.

At twenty four, she'd finished grad school, where she'd majored in clothing design, and was now working at a small-scale fashion house. She wasn't making her own designs, and they never took her seriously, but it would build her experience till the day she could be a designer herself, and create her own lines.

She was a girl with ambition... but tonight she just wanted to cut loose. No bosses telling her what she was doing wrong or that she didn't have the vision because it was clear she doubted her own work. No best friends acting like idiot boneheads to worry about. No Fathers deep in Africa, saving the world, and forgetting to call, to think about. Tonight was just about fun. Fun, alcohol and dancing... with maybe a cute boy or two to flirt with on the side.

Having made them wait for the allotted time, she sauntered out. "Let's go!"

Hours later they were on their third club, millionth song, and countless drink. Three of the girls had already peeled off, either from exhaustion or boy lure, and so when Violet had loudly declared she was buying shots, she fought her way to the bar alone, knowing she could carry three drinks back by herself. The space was three people deep, but she elbowed and smiled her way to the front in a few short minutes. Her looks got her immediate notice from the bartender, and she leaned against beaten wood as she waited. She felt eyes on her, that was nothing new, but this time something raised the hair on the back of her neck. She scanned the crowd, and spotted him. Spotted wasn't the word. She locked on him in the same way he seemed to be locked on her. It was like everything in her body woke up, and she couldn't hear the music or see any other people. He was the only one who was in focus. The arrival of her drinks shook her up enough that she could break eye contact and beat it out of there.

She stumbled back to the table, and tried to forget the eyes that she would swear were still watching her. The girls downed their shots, and while the other's wanted to go, Violet dragged them back onto the dance floor. Only one song later, two of the girls were begging back to their booth, and Fiona seemed to want to head there with them, Violet shook her head and spun around... slamming into a solid male chest. She would have stumbled, but his arms slipped around her. Her nearly purple eyes met the same familiar brown ones from the bar. She didn't pull away and he didn't let go, and they moved, seamlessly into a dance.

One dance led to another and another. It led to her waving Fiona and her friends away, because she couldn't imagine, in that moment, stepping even a breath away from him.

It led to the sun, blinding her the next morning as she woke up in his bed. Naked, with a very naked him beside her. She sat up and had to hold her head to keep it from falling off her neck. I took all her limited strength not to curse, the only thing stopping her was that she didn't want to wake him. Doing her very best not to look at him, because in the morning and daylight is seemed wrong to see him not only naked, but to be naked with him in bed.

She slipped out of the bed and as quickly as possible, and pulled her clothes on. It was the fanciest walk of shame she'd ever done in her life, as she left the massive suite, went down the elevator, and across the opulent lobby of the best hotel in London. With her chin high, she waited for a cab to pull up, and she slipped in quickly, desperate to get back to her flat.

Violet unlocked her door, and pushed it open. For a moment she met the smirking eyes of her roommate, as Fiona sat at the table, eating cereal.

"Good night, I take it?"

Violet scowled, and flinched as it made her head throb further.

"Or not." Fiona giggled.

Violet wanted to say something cutting, but her usually sharp wit was a little dull. Numb. Purposely numb.

Getting to her room, she stripped and headed straight for her en suite. She turned the shower to hot and dragged herself under the spray, letting the water beat at her face for long minutes before starting to wash her hair.

She was not going to think about how she may have ruined her greatest friendship. She wasn't going to think about how she couldn't stop thinking about him. She was not going to think about how she'd had the best sex of her life.

Finally, feeling a little more human, and a little more like she was totally capable of putting tonight behind her and forgetting it ever happened, Violet dried off, pulled on her robe and walked into her bedroom.

She half screamed when she saw him sitting on the edge of her bed, wearing the clothes from last night, and with hair still disheveled from her fingers.

Wordlessly he looked at her in that way that always made her feel that he saw her too clearly. She tightened her robe a little and cleared her throat, her nose going up in the air fractionally, as she put on the guise of taking back the upper hand.

"Hello, Bart."

TahDAH! Okay! SooOOOoOoOoooo... Violet is back! A lot of you have asked me about her off and on over the chapters, and I don't think I ever really responded? I always knew I was bringing her back, and I always knew this was how I was going to do it. I know a few people think I've ruined ITY, and maybe a few more think that now... But like I said, I write what's floating in my head... and I had fun with this! I really hope some of you did too! I've always thought they'd be kinda hilarious, and it opens up other things. I also like sparky, fun dialogue and I see this in the future for them and his family.

BTW, just to be clear, Bart is 19 and in University and Violet is 24. To me, that's not a big deal. And now I shall brace myself to post this.


	67. Chapter 67

Hello! Okay, so first off, THANK YOU all so much for all the support. It felt great, and I really appreciate it. I don't believe in kicking a dead horse, so I've let the negativity go, and I promise you won't here me whine about what happened before again. I just wanted to thank you for all the positive reviews and vibes. Now, call me psychic... but I'm getting like... the idea that maybe... a few of you are not happy with what I did with Harry. I KNOW! I don't know where I got that from... (surely not from reviews, twitter, private message, etc...) I just wanted to let you in on my main motivation for Georgina. Laziness. In retrospect I probably should have just had him show up with a random girl, out for what he could do for her... But I think I was being lazy and didn't want to have to flush out a new character. When you use an actual GG character, people can already see them in their head and all the work is done for you. See? I'm lazy. Adorable, but lazy. Here we go...

Chuck and Blair sat at their dining room table, side by side, over breakfast. Blair looked over her schedule for the day, while Chuck read though some reports from the London markets. The morning was quiet and the sun coming in the widows warmed the room and them. Nothing really moved until Blair silently slipped off her shoe, and then began running her foot up her husband's calf. Chuck paused with a half smile, but didn't look up.

"Mrs. Bass, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Every chance I get..." She smirked as she pulled the reports out of his hands, and slid onto his lap. While they were forever unable to keep their hands off each other, they were rarely able to accost each other at their every impulse. However, today was unique. Harry was at Yale, working to finish his degree. Bart was in London to see a Wintersleep concert. Lenore was having a sleepover at Chloe's. It was Chuck and Blair's time to play. She started kissing a line across his jaw, and he tilted his head to give her greater access.

The ding of the elevator and had them both groaning, and pulling apart with a sigh. Blair didn't even try to get up, and she was still sitting in Chuck's lap when Lenore walked in. Besides, Chuck needed her for camouflage.

"Darling." Blair greeted with a smile. "You're home early."

"Chloe is awful and I hate her. I no longer have a best friend. She's merely my cousin... and even then not by blood. No kidney for her!" Declared the nine year old as she walked in, grabbed a blueberry off a platter, and plopped into her usual seat.

Blair avoided Chuck's gaze, knowing that he was smiling about history and present looking awfully the same.

"I know, darling. Blondes can just be like that." Blair said supportively.

"They can!" Lenore nodded. "They really can!"

Chuck rolled his eyes and hid a smile as he was about to speak to her. Then his eyes narrowed on Lenore. He had looked at his daughter as she came in, but he hadn't really seen her. He did now. Something was off with her. She was a shade paler than usual, with not even a hint of a blush to her cheeks. Her lips were also tinged, ever so slightly.

He got up and deposited Blair into her own chair.

"Hey!" Blair grumbled.

Chuck walked out of the dining room without another word. Lenore looked to her mother, and Blair just shrugged and explained his rudeness. "Daddy's still a little new money."

Chuck returned short minutes later, and Lenore cringed for a moment at what she saw in his hands, but she quickly wiped any guilt from her face. Without comment he opened yesterday's door, and found one pill. He opened today's and found two. This meant that she hadn't taken last night or this morning's pill. Blair, seeing this all unfold, was on her feet, quickly taking her daughter's face into her hands to examine it for herself.

"I feel fine." Lenore huffed indignantly, folding her arms across her chest, and pulling her face from her mother's grasp

"You know the rules." Blair said tersely as she took out this morning's pill and held it out to Lenore, who sulked but swallowed it.

"It's not fair!" Lenore stood up quickly, her chair flying back behind her.

"It is what it is, and you'll take your pills when you're supposed to." Chuck told her firmly.

"And go lie down." Blair added coldly.

"I'm no-"

"Now." Blair commanded clearly.

"Fine!" Lenore shouted, stomping a foot and storming out of the room.

Before Chuck or Blair could say anything to each other, the elevator chimed again. A rather frazzled looking Bart appeared in the doorway to the dining room, loudly dropped his bags, threw up his hands, and then took off upstairs.

Blair flung herself into a chair and flailed her hands in the air. "I do not know how they all became so dramatic!"

Chuck looked at her.

"What?" She demanded innocently over her shoulder with doe eyes, before she sighed. "So? Divide and conquer?"

Chuck opened his mouth, but was cut off.

"WHY DON'T YOU WANT ME TO BE HAPPY?!" They heard Lenore scream from the upstairs landing.

Blair and Chuck both gazed at the ceiling in contemplation.

"If we leave now... It would probably take them at least two weeks to find us." Chuck mused.

"I'm not entirely sure that Bart hasn't had us low jacked in out sleep." Blair commented vaguely back.

Chuck laughed. Blair smiled at the sound, always loving when she could make the soft chuckle come out of him, her upon occasion stone-faced, not-so-tough billionaire.

"So?" He asked her. "Bart or Lenore?"

"I'll take Lenore. You cave to easily."

"Not in this." It was true. Both Chuck and Blair were want to give their children anything they desired, but Lenore's recent rebellion against taking her heart meds, was something neither Blair nor Chuck would allow to continue. Lenore took a pill in the morning, and one at night and that was that.

Together they walked upstairs, her hand tucked into the crook of his elbow, and before they parted, she offered him her cheek, which he kissed reverently. She took a steely breath and headed into Lenore's room. Chuck watched her go for a moment, eyes on her back side, and then knocked on Bart's door.

After having gotten to his room, Bart had immediately grabbed a giant bag of M&Ms and slunk into what he considered to be his thinking chair. He popped a chocolate into his mouth and chewed it with vigor. His mind flashing back over the last forty-eight hours.

Bart didn't have class at Columbia on Mondays, so he'd taken off on Friday to catch one of his favourite bands playing in London. He'd left his hotel, and been on his way to the venue, when he'd seen Violet walking down the street. It had been years since he'd actually seen her in person. Sure his brother had often spoke about her, and he'd seen pictures, but given that Bart was a Bass and could hold a grudge, he hadn't thought much more about her than that.

Seeing her on the sidewalk, something had lurched inside of him. He'd ordered his car to stop and his eyes traced up her calves, and every curve after that. His stomach did something it never had before, as he looked at the perfect beauty of her face, but he couldn't put a name to what it felt like.

Without a thought he'd thrown money at the pleased and overpaid cabbie, and climbed out of the car, slowly following her and her friends into a club. Walking in, he'd cringed at the decibel of the music and the crowds that surged... and touched him. He tried not to think about how dirty the masses could be sometimes, and he paid handsomely for a choice booth, where he could sit alone, without the throngs. Where he could see the whole club. Where he could see her.

He'd never really thought of her as anything other than his brother's best friend... one that he'd been happy to have seen move across the ocean. She was bossy, conniving, and shady, as far as he could remember. But he admitted to himself he'd always thought her eyes... weren't ugly. And when she smiled she wasn't totally disgusting.

Watching her now was like seeing her for the first time, or like seeing her as an adult. She was breathtaking.

Towards the end of the night he hadn't been able to stay away from her, and after she'd seen him, it felt like she was drawn to him as well. From that point on he'd acted purely on instinct and done only what felt right and natural. They'd flowed, almost seamlessly, from the club, to a cab, and to his hotel room.

He'd spent hours kissing her, touching her, worshipping her, making love to her.

Hours later, she lay asleep in his arms, and he looked at her again without her seeing him. He ran a hand through her tousled hair, wanting to kiss her again, but not wanting to disturb her.

Bart had always been prepared to wait, to wait for a girl who was worth waiting for. There had been plenty of girls he'd been attracted too, and even more who had been attracted to him, but Bart had always kept them at a distance. He had no problem with the way anyone else chose to live their life, but for him... he'd wanted it to be special. For her to be special.

He knew this hadn't gone unnoticed, given his family's vocal declarations about supporting him regardless of who he chose to love, aka early on they'd thought he might be gay. And publicly he'd taken a few sly comments from a few people at school, all of whom had fallen strangely silent shortly after Bart had commented to Harry about the incidents. More recently Bart had had to become actually vocal in his repeated declining of the invitations from the Purity Pledge group on campus.

As he lay with Violet now, he was sure it had all been worth it. So now, with her safely in his arms, he knew tonight was only the beginning of something amazing.

Watching her, he finally could identify what was going on in his gut. It felt like... fluttering.

When he'd woken up alone, he'd been mildly put out, but undeterred.

He'd pulled out his laptop and easily hacked into his brother's account, because even though Harry changed the password regularly, Bart knew his brother well. Generally it was the location and date of yearly family vacations they'd taken. He had Violet's address in minutes, and was headed over there soon after that.

Her roommate had looked him up and down with a raise eyebrow.

"You look familiar?" Then it seemed to click and she started laughing, holding the door open usher him in. "Now I get it..."

Given the strong resemblance the Bass children had, and that Harry had met Fiona several time, and slept with her on each occasion, it wasn't surprising that she picked up on who he was.

After being let in, and directed to where Violet was, he went into her room. He heard the shower running, and gave himself the luxury of looking around her room, and making mental notes as he went. The room was neat, which made it easier to go through. A quick look in the closet show a large and nuanced wardrobe of very progressive fashions. The room was painted cloud white, with black and grey furniture and accents. The only two photos in the room were of Violet and Harry. He went to the desk which held all the latest fashion magazine, and saw on a shelf on the wall that she had back issues organized by date. There were also sketch books, and they were what really caught his attention. He flipped through, looking at dozens of her original designs. They were good. She was good.

His head came up as he heard the shower stop, and he set the books back down and went to sit on her bed.

When she opened the door, any doubt he had about her being the one, went out of his head, as everything in him lit up.

"Hello, Bart."

He looked at her. Waiting. This could go one of two ways.

"Bart... Last night was... lovely, but... it was a mistake."

He rolled his eyes. He should have known.

She saw it but ignored it, continuing on. "I just think it would be best-for both of us-if what happened... was a secret between us."

He stood up, walking to her, and his hands slipped around her jaw to cradle it, his fingertips sinking into her hair. His lips brushed hers softly, and he pulled back. Looking at her.

Her eyes drank in every simmering bit of his.

"To hell with it." She muttered as her resolve went out the window. Violet launched herself at him, tumbling them back on the bed, her lips finding his before they hit the covers.

An hour later, Violet lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Bart was staring at her.

"This can never happen again." She said to him and herself.

She saw him smirk out of the corner of her eye.

"That was the last time!" She yelled, as she scrambled up from the bed, pulling the covers with her and wrapping them around her. "Don't look at me like that."

With that she'd practically ran into the bathroom, not coming out, eventually he'd left. Maybe after she yelled at him repeated to do so through the door.

So now, Bart sat at home, thinking about it all. Reliving it all. And eating M&Ms.

At Chuck's knock, Bart dragged his focus from her. He didn't call out a greeting, Chuck just let himself in after a pause.

Chuck stood for a moment, contemplating Bart. "I take it your trip was eventful?"

Chuck had started the conversation lightly, but when Bart looked up at him, and their eyes met, Chuck was instantly serious at the expression he saw in his son's gaze.

"What happened?" Chuck asked carefully as he pulled a chair closer to Bart's and sat down. He leaned in, resting his elbows on his knees, knowing that when you wanted to get something, anything, out of Bart, you had to read him carefully and pay attention.

Emotions roiled across Bart's eyes. His body was sprawled in his chair, but only with the appearance of relaxation, because upon careful note there was far too much energy shifting through him. And ever so slightly, Chuck could see the way Bart's fingers would tighten and go lax on the armrests. Blair, Harry and Lenore were natural pacers. When their agitation was high they liked to take up space, walking back and forth to work through their issues and come up with a game plan or solution. Bart was a still water, so seeing all these signals coming off of him was like seeing an animal caged.

After a long silence, Bart spoke. "I met her."

There was no need for explanation.

"Really?" Chuck smiled, leaning back to contemplate his son. "And?"

"She's perfect." Bart almost smiled, then it fell into disgruntlement. "And she wants nothing to do with me."

Omitting her name and any hint of him having known her prior to that night in the club, Bart told his father what had happened. When he was done, Chuck was leaning back in his chair, a smile on his face. "The importance of perseverance ... In the face of true love you don't just give up... even if the object of your affection is begging you to..."

Bart raised an eyebrow.

"Just something I told your mother once..."

Bart smirked, having seen the yearbook photos on his mother and his uncle Nate. But as he thought about his father's words, ideas started to formulate in his head. Seeing that Bart was now lost in thought, Chuck nodded at him, and stood to leave.

Blair was already in their bedroom.

"Well, it was as painful as you could imagine. I perhaps had to threaten to have Blue shaved and have the photos put online... But I think I made my point."

Chuck was silent and she turned to look at him. "What?"

"He was in his 'thinking chair'."

"Oh, boy."

Chuck looked at her and tucked his hands into his pockets. "He met a girl..."

"Really?" Her eyes widened. "So?"

"So what?" He played dumb, wanting to make her work for it.

"Did he do it? Seal the deal? Tap that ass?" She clapped giddily.

Chuck rolled his eyes and spoke drolly. "You remember far to much of what I've said in my life."

"You better believe it." She smirked and patted his face... then she grabbed his collar and snapped him closer. "What happened?!"

"Let's just say the ladies of Barnard College will have to cross his christening off their scavenger hunt list this year..."

They grinned at each other.

"My baby's a man!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Did he know her? Do we know her? What's she like? Is she perfect? Is she British with a cute little accent? What do her parents do? Please tell me she's not our age?!"

"He didn't really say... I do know that he didn't see her coming."

"Don't worry. He'll get better." Blair waved a hand and rushed to her iPad.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sending him flowers." She told Chuck, as if it were obvious. "What says 'Congrats on the de-virginization' more, lilies or daffodils? I would say roses... but I think they're just so over done." Blair mused more to herself than him, as she scanned arrangements.

She nodded when she was done, set the iPad down and looked at him, her eyes sparkling.

"I don't remember you being this enthusiastic with Harry..."

"Let's face it, Harry tends to be a bit more about quantity than quality." She pouted at him. "And I do recall getting a rather lovely gift from you after mine..."

As he moved to kiss her, his phone went off.

Blair sighed, disgruntled. "This really hasn't been our morning."

"One minute, Kitten." Chuck said after looking at the screen and seeing that it ws a call he couldn't ignore.

Blair's eyes narrowed and she moved closer to eavesdrop. He tried to move away, but she shoved him into the bed, pinched his side for good measure, before crouching beside him, and tucking her chin onto his shoulder. Even then she only heard snatches of what was being said.

"Well?" She asked after he'd hung up.

"We found him." Chuck told her carefully.

"Good." Blair took a deep breath. "Harry won't like this..."

"Agreed, but it's for his own good, and this has gone on long enough."

"So we do this together?"

"Don't we always..."

Her eyes softened as she slightly smiled at him. "True..." Then chilled at what was to come. "Tomorrow we fly in our 'grandson's' real father."

TahDAH! First off, I'm not a big one for the term, "making love". In my own life, I generally just say "sex"... or "do it". I should say "bang" more, because Emma Store was right. It would be brought back. Can you tell how much of a sensitive romantic I am? But for the character? I went with Bart being a bit of a making love kinda a guy.

Oh, and I did something that may be... not nice? Okay... so... maybe I told my mom that... the granddaughter she loves, who is a VERY sweet, wonderful little girl... has no sense of humour. Seriously... the girl has no idea of when people are joking, or what sarcasm is. It's like trying to talk to someone who doesn't speak my language...

BTW, Happy Labour Day!


	68. Chapter 68

Hello! I have good news! No. I don't have a job yet... and I think I've gained 3 pounds since moving back to Toronto, but someone gave me a chair! I was having trouble finding a comfy writing spot in my new apartment, because I actually have a trick back, and it likes to sit in certain positions but not others, and I wasn't finding a great one here... then a friend's step sister couldn't fit a chair into her new apartment... so here I am in a very comfy chair! It's cute, overstuffed and high backed, and perfect. Since I didn't pay for it, I haven't given it a name, but I'm thinking I should. Here we go...

Sarah walked off of campus and started to cut through a part as she headed home to her small apartment. It was spring and the air had lost the chill, and after the dead of winter, it was finally starting to smell like life again. It had felt like life had been gone forever since her brother and boyfriend were killed in the accident, but she was feeling alive again. It had been two years, the first year being the worst, and the second one had been about healing, but she was finally coming out the other side of her grief.

She missed them, and thought of the all the time, but she was living without them now. She'd even found herself moving towards happiness, something she never thought she'd be again, but she was at times. It wasn't the pure, innocent happiness of life before the accident, but it was hints of something that could exist for her again.

She was just passing the playground when she saw him.

Harry.

It had been two years since she'd last seen him. They'd been at the funeral, she had been standing with her parents, he had been standing with his, and when he'd looked at her, she'd looked away. Now, only a few metres away, he looked... older. He was still incredibly handsome, his dark hair a little longer than she would have liked, and he seemed thiner maybe, but still... Harry. With all the ugliness of two years ago, her mind had dimmed his handsomeness. But there was something different. As she gazed at him, she tried to put her finger on what it was.

Suddenly he looked up, and their eyes locked. In that moment she knew. While she had made strides to heal, there was a part of Harry that was still broken, and a wave of guilt swam over her, knowing she'd played a part in that. Sarah remembered every word of what she'd said to him, and over time and healing, she'd come to deeply regret it.

The moment of pain in Harry's eyes was quickly replaced by a cold glint. Steeling herself, she walked over to him, despite the fact that he was looking at her with the most unwelcoming expression she'd ever seen. She needed to find the perfect icebreaker. The perfect thing to say.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't the most famous divorcee on campus..." Okay, so that wasn't it.

If possible his face tightened further, and he turned away. She thought he was going to just walk away, but he didn't. He stooped and lifted a blonde haired, blue eyed baby out of the swing seat. For a second Sarah was caught off guard at the sight of the Harry she'd always known, notorious party boy Harry, protectively holding the baby in his arms. Without a word, he walked away.

Her mind was still spinning as she watched him go, with what appeared to be a Nanny pushing an empty stroller, lugging a heavy diaper bag, and trying to keep up.

That evening Harry was sitting on his couch, alternating between Socrates and the Shadow of the Wind, and listening to the Nanny feed Fredrick in the kitchen, when there was a knock at his front door. Setting his book aside, he got up and opened the door, sighing when he saw who was standing there.

"Security in New Port just isn't what it is in Manhattan."

For a moment, Sarah just looked at him, and he remembered how she looked at him when they'd sit across a breakfast table from each other.

"Hi, Harry." She said quietly, when she saw his face soften slightly. "Can you invite me in?"

Then he remembered all that had happened and his face hardened.

"I don't think so..." He commented steely as he leaned against the door jam, blocking her entrance. "But you clearly have something you feel you need to say to me... so, have at it."

It was the most unwelcoming conversation invite she'd ever had, and she almost wanted to tell him to shove his attitude up his ass, but then she remembered the point of this visit.

"Harry... I wanted to tell you... That... I was wrong."

"Wrong?" He questioned unrelentingly.

Her eyes narrowed, but she swallowed and continued. "It was never your fault. It was just... a horrible accident."

Her eyes had been lowered as she spoke, but she looked up now as he was so quiet. His face was a riot of emotions, and it looked like he couldn't speak, so she did.

"I wish I could take it back... and if there's anything I could ever do to fix it, I would."

Harry looked at her and his jaw clenched. "Good to know."

She opened her mouth to say more, but he stepped back and shut the door in her face. She sighed and looked at the door. "Well, that could have gone better."

That night, after the baby was asleep and the nanny had left, sat in his living room with a glass of scotch. It was almost nine when he heard yet another knock at his door. Getting up he opened the door, and was unsurprised to find his parents standing there.

"Mother, Dad." He greeted, automatically stepping back to invite them in.

Blair stepped in first, offering her cheek, and getting a kiss from her son. Harry and Chuck then had a quick, hard hug, before both his parents went and sat on his couch. To anyone else, they would have looked calm and unassuming, just to parents, stopping in to visit their son. Harry wasn't anyone. He could tell by the way his father's eyes narrowed a fraction and the way his mother crossed her ankles, that they were here for purpose.

Blair didn't mince words. "We found him."

Harry froze. He'd known for months, since the first paternity test, that he wasn't Fredrick's father, he'd known in the hospital when he'd signed the birth certificate. But more than that he'd known that this baby was alone in the world. He was all that the baby had in the world. So, Harry had taken the baby on, and from that had started to pull his life back together again. He'd returned to school. He'd cut back on his drinking. He'd worked on his relationships with his family.

Blair looked at him, and knew that this hadn't been what he wanted to hear. Harry had never wanted them to look for Fredrick's father at all, but neither Chuck nor Blair had let it go.

"I told you not to do that." He said carefully.

"Harold... May I call you Harold? Or I'm sorry? Are you not fully out of the Rolly phase that led you to raising a child that's not yours." Blair said dryly.

"Mother, never let it be said that I don't appreciate your sense of humour."

"Harry, never let it be said you can't get disinherited for backtalk."

Chuck rolled his eyes slightly as the two faced off for the millionth time.

"Harry, your mother and I... We understand what you've done for the boy-"

"My son."

"But he's not."

"He is to me."

Chuck sighed. They'd had this conversation before. Harry wanted to make sure the boy had a family, and Chuck believed that. Out of all their children, Harry had turned out to be the biggest bleeding heart. Chuck had lost helicopter sex in that bet, because he'd been sure that it would have been Bart. Neither Chuck nor Blair had bet on Lenore. So while they believe Harry felt responsible for the abandoned boy, Blair and Chuck had also come to another conclusion. Fredrick had come to represent Harry's salvation. It was if he thought that if he could be a good father to the boy, then he was not the person he'd come to think he was over the past two years. He would be a better man.

This wasn't fair to Fredrick, Harry, or anyone else. So while Harry repeatedly told them not to look for Fredrick's father, they had done so anyway. Which is where they were right now.

"Harry, it's done. We've already made inroads into contacting him."

"It was lovely seeing you both. Fredrick and I will of course be in New York on Saturday for Bart's birthday." Harry said with a tight smile, as he walked to the door and held it open for them.

Ten minutes after a couple of rather stilted goodbyes, Blair and Chuck were in their limo on the drive back to New York.

"He kicked us out!" Blair half screeched and flung herself back in her seat. "I birthed him! From my own body!"

"I believe 'birthed' did imply that he'd come from your ever wondrous and perfect body..."

"Don't try to placate me, Bass." Blair snapped, still indignant. "When I think of all the hours we spent trying to please our parents... Well, me more than you. Let's face it, your father's hair was grey for a reason. The rearing of Chuck Bass."

"And you were the epitome of a perfect daughter?" He said dryly back to her, a slight pinch to his face.

Her head tilted to the side, and she touched a finger to her chin. "Why is it I detected a question mark at the end of that sentence?"

"Ex-lovers bribed into Christmas party attendance to put an end to your father's happy relationship..." He reminded her.

Blair scowled. "Whole nations that are still receiving payments from Bass Industries."

"Mysterious requests for semesters in France..."

"Husbands sent to France for misbehaviour..."

Both of them had felt the moment their blood had kicked up during their exchange. Everything was firing. Everything was electrified.

"Speaking of the past..." He whispered as he shifted closer to her across the leather seats, taking her hand. Both gasped at the contact. Both wanted more. They always wanted more.

"Yes?" Blair played coy, knowing exactly where his mind was, because hers was right there with him.

"Mrs. Bass... Play with me..."

She leaned his and brushed her lips across his, before she pulled back a little and looked into his eyes and whispered. "You sure?"

Chuck smirked, and then kissed her passionately as her hands started ripping at the buttons of his shirt.

The Basses did love their limo.

Long after he'd hurried his parents out... after they'd left, Harry stood in the doorway of Fredrick's room. It took his eyes a moment to adjust, but as the pitch darkness lifted, he could clearly see the outline of the crib. In the still of the room, he could hear Fredrick's light snores, and he smiled at the sound. Leaving the door open to cast light, he walk to the side of the baby's bed, and gazed down at the boy. The small body lay curled on his side, and his thumb firmly in his mouth as he slept.

Harry smiled as he ran a hand very gently over the thin hair on his head. At first Harry had taken the boy on out of a sense of responsibility. No one should be alone in this world. But as the days, weeks, and now months had gone by, Harry loved the baby.

Everything about the Fredrick was good. Harry felt good just being around him. This was something that he didn't want to give up. And besides, who's to say Fredrick's biological father would even want him? Looking down at the baby, Harry knew a person would be crazy not to love Fredrick, hell, he knew his parents loved him even though they were doing what they were. But would they be good enough for him?

Harry wasn't about to take that chance. Not for Fredrick, and not for himself.

Back at the Bass home, the two youngest were on their own till their parents returned. Since returning from London, Bart only left his room for classes. Other than than he texted to have meals brought and removed, and his comi- er, graphic novels were delivered by currier. Their parents didn't seem overly concerned, and in fact had warned her to give her brother space. They really should know her better than that by now.

Lenore walked down the hall to her brother's room, and reached out to turn the handle, not bothering to knock. She scowled at finding it locked.

"Bart!" She yelled and started knocking, choosing to pretend she didn't know his slight was deliberate. "Your door is locked! I can't get in!"

Her lips pursed at the continued silence. She knew he was in there. He was always in there. Time for a new tactic. Guilt.

"It's okay, Bart... I just wanted to let you know... that I love you. And it's... okay if you don't love me back." She said forlornly. More silence. Lenore frowned and kicked the door. "Let me in!"

When he didn't snap to her command, she knew it was time to bring out the big guns. "Alright, Bart. You don't want to see anyone... at least Harry had the decency to leave home when he ran away." She dropped this in because she knew Bart hadn't liked what Harry had done, and so she'd hoped the comparison would needle him. No such luck, so she kept going.

"Just to share... I'm really very tired, and I'm going to go to bed. And I've also decided that I don't need to take my pill tonight. I feel totally fine. Goodnight, Bart!"

She only got to a count of two before the door was pulled open, and Bart was frowning down at her. She smiled up at him, and waltzed past him into the room.

"You are so easy sometimes..." She mocked him with her tinkling laughter. "I took it five minutes ago, exactly when I was supposed to."

Bart's eyes looked heavenward, because he really should have known. Her birthday came up soon after his, and he knew she wouldn't risk angering their parents when it was present season.

Lenore walked around, and her face puckered is distaste. "It smells like a monkeys' cage after its mulched for eight days." She waved a small hand in front of her nose. "Not pleasant, Bart. Not pleasant."

Bart waved a hand towards his open door, indicating she could leave at any time, before going back to his, increasingly beat up chair and flopping into it.

"Daddy says you're heartsick. Do you want one of my pills?" She honestly offered, wanting him to feel better. She pulled his desk chair over, set it across from his, and sat down.

Bart couldn't help but smile at the sincerity in her voice. She was her parents' daughter, with loyalty to those she loved a high priority for her. She honestly wanted Bart to feel better.

"It's not that kind of heart problem." He told her softly.

"Well what kind is it?"

"The kind where you can't have what you want."

"There's no such thing." She told him confidently, sitting up and rocking her shoulders a little bit.

He shrugged thinking of the one thing he wanted, but couldn't seem to have.

Lenore looked at him with sympathy. "Bart, all you have to do is tell Mother and Daddy what it is you want, and they'll get it for you. It's pretty close to your birthday, so they might pretend not to be getting it for you, so it can be a surprise, but they always give it in the end." She said with conspirator's tone, thinking of last Christmas and the matching diamond tiaras she'd gotten from them, for both Blue and herself. Well, they had said one was for Chloe, but it looked better on Blue.

"I don't think even they can give me this."

"Well, then Bart, we're Basses. If Mother and Daddy can't give you what you want, go out and get it yourself." She said firmly.

A smile suddenly crossed Bart's face, as ideas started to flood his mind.. "I like the way you think."

"So do I." She nodded with an assured little nod.

In her apartment just off campus, Sarah's head was buried under her pillow. So that and the fact she was out like a light at 3am, kept her from hearing the pounding on her front door. She sat up with a start, fell out of bed, and stumbled forward.

"I'm coming!" She said far too politely, but couldn't help it. Her mother's nagging seemed to have paid off.

She pulled open the door, and for a second she thought she was still dreaming. Harry Bass stood before her, dressed impeccably, even in the middle of the night, with a perfectly attired baby laying against his shoulder. Her jaw fell open.

Harry scowled at her. "Do you always answer the door in the middle of the night, without even asking who it is?"

"Do you always show up at women's doors in the middle of the night without telling them who you are?"

"Fair enough." Harry conceded. He didn't wait for an invite but walked past her into the darkened apartment. As if he owned the place, he walked in, glance around till he'd located the bedroom, and headed in there. She followed him, because she didn't know what else to do, and watched him pull the covers tight, carefully lower the sleeping baby onto the bed, and then set two pillows on either side of him. He then signaled to her to head back into the living room, and he followed, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Before her brain could even try to figure out what to say, Harry was talking.

"Were you serious about doing anything you could to set things right with me?"

"Sure." Sarah said hesitantly. "But your crazy eyes are kinda freaking me out at the moment."

He stared her down, letting her know this wasn't a joking matter.

Sarah took deep breath and said clearly. "Yes. I was serious."

"Good. Marry me."

TahDAH! Okay, (looks around to make sure the coast is clear) I have something to share... I MAY have ACCIDENTALLY joined a pregnancy pact for 2014? WHAT? How did that happen? And it scares me how quickly my therapist got on board with me being in the pact. I apparently have no choice but to get knocked up in like a year and a half. I know there's someone I won't name, but who reads this fic, who's going to... Fist BUMP!

Oh, and thanks to the Guest who review with the catch of my favourite slightly dirty joke in the last chapter.

Btw, I started therapy school... and am now slightly scared of my mind. Oh, and I'm just adding this last bit to tell you there was a problem uploading this. Hope you can see it and hope it looks right.


	69. Chapter 69

Hello! Okay, readers who know too much about me, just in case this is new info... I'm super cheap. So when I moved here, I'd thrown out my old pillows and needed new ones in Toronto. Off I went to Walmart. Hello, six dollar pillows. Probably the cheapest ones I've ever bought, but man, was I proud of those two pillows! Then I started sleeping on them. I usually sleep on my side, curled in a ball, with half my face shoved into my pillow. It's always been fine. With these pillows? I started to notice that when I woke up... the eye that had been shoved in the pillow was SUPER dry, and my face was puffy. I'm thinking maybe... whatever these pillows are made of... might not be the best quality? What?! NO! Shocker! So what did I do? Get new pillows? Nah! I just doubled up on pillow cases. I know. I'm a genius! Here we go...

Bart took a risk, a risk the Bass children had long learned was dangerous and fraught with scarring images, but he did it anyway. He barged into his parents room without knocking.

It was a few days before his birthday, and the days prior had been filled with thought and planning. He was done planning. It was time to take action. Action taken with a held breath as he threw his parent's door open.

He let it out when he saw that his mother was clearly alone in the king sized bed, and the shower could be heard in the master bath. At the loud sound, Blair shot upright in bed.

"What's happened?! Who's pregnant?!" Blair demanded, face mask still covering her eyes, arms flailing.

At the silence, Blair fell back into bed. "It's Bart isn't it?" She guessed at who had stormed her room this early in the morning.

"I can promise you I'm not pregnant." Bart said dryly, choosing to misunderstand his mother.

"Well, that's a load off my mind." Blair sighed. "Well, darling, what it is? Is this going to be one of those days I wish I'd had cats instead of children?"

"Meow."

"How did I give birth to a comedian?" Blair returned as she finally pushed the mask up off her eyes and up into her hair. "What can I do for you, my precious love?"

"I sense sarcasm in your endearment."

"I sense stalling in your words."

"Mother, I know what I want for my birthday."

"Okay... But I already got you a year's worth of fresh socks and underwear." Blair rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was confused, because Bart never really wanted anything, but the almost man had no concept of socks and underwear not growing in his drawers, so every birthday Blair bought him a mass fresh set, and had the maid throw out the last.

His words were pronounced and clear, and the lent to the seriousness of his purpose. He finished his practiced speech, nodded at her, and then left, shutting the door behind him.

Chuck stepped out of the bathroom, is a black silk robe that clung to his damp skin. He had a perplexed look on his face as he looked at his wife. "Did I just hear him correctly?"

"Well, since you're the biggest eavesdropper I've ever met, I'd imagine that, yes, you heard him correctly."

"Second only to you, my love." He replied first with an affectionate smile, before got back on topic, knowing she'd tried to throw him off. "Was he serious?"

She raised a brow then flopped back onto the pillows, pulling her face mask back down. "How often does Bart ask for anything?"

"True." A frown passed over Chuck's features, and he turned and walked into his closet.

Blair knew this man, she knew him inside and out, and this is why she didn't miss the small note that echoed in his one word.

"Chuck?" She called out, expecting him to walk back at her call. She waited a moment, then called out again, a little louder. "Chuck?!

Sitting up, she pulled the mask fully off her head and tossed it aside. "CHUCK?!"

When he didn't answer her, she shoved the blankets off, and quickly followed him into his closet. He stood in his boxers, in front of the suit he'd had his valet press and layout for him last night, his tie between his fingers, as if contemplating it, but not moving.

"Did you forget that I trained you, decades ago, to come when I call?" She teased into the silence, moving to stand behind him.

"Didn't I train you to come?" He turned his head slightly as he directed his words to her.

"That's something I can hand-le on my own, although I deeply love any and all assistance from you..." Was her sultry reply as her hands slid up his bare back to his shoulders, and she let her fingers glide across them before coming to rest.

"Hm." Chuck smiled, but grew pensive again.

"Chuck, it doesn't mean anything." She told him.

"I know."

"Don't be sad." She leaned in and pressed her forehead gently between the wings of his back.

"I'm not."

"Disappointed?'

"Maybe..."

With a slight tilt of her chin, she kissed his back softly, her arms slipping around his body to hug him to her, reassuringly.

"You always know what I need." His hands latched on to one of her wrists, squeezing it in thanks for her comfort.

"I do." She husked.

"Which is why your hand in going down boxers?" The corner of his mouth quirked up.

"It is..." She whispered as her lips found his neck.

A few days later Lenore choked and sputtered into wakefulness.

"Ugh." She muttered as she yanked her cousin's hair from her mouth, and shoved the ever lengthening arm off her body. "You have no respect for personal space."

"I can't help it if I'm a cuddler." Chloe pouted as she snuggled into the bedding, ignore her always a grump in the morning best friend.

"You're a boa constrictor. But with hair. Really blonde hair."

"You mean this hair?!" Chloe laughed, launching herself at Lenore and shoving her hair in her face.

Their laughter filled the room... until the smaller Lenore managed to get a surge of strength and shove Chloe right off the bed.

Chloe grunted as she hit the soft carpet and lay there for a minuted looking up at her triumphant cousin.

"When are you going to learn?" Lenore asked with a smirk. "I always win."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Chloe smiled, her good nature coming through. She sat up at the sound of her phone chiming, and she quickly scanned the message. "Ralph just texted. He wants to know if we want to go to a movie today."

"No we don't want to, and no because we can't. We have to get ready for my brother's party."

"But it's a Bart party. Nothing ever happens at them." Chloe argued.

"I know." Lenore agreed, because Bart's parties were usually family affairs, that were always fun, but always low key. Not like Lenore's parties that always had a theme and a dress code. "But this one is different. There's actually... people coming to it tonight."

"Then can we invite Ralph?"

Lenore raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you like him?"

"What?" An indignant ten year old Chloe sat up straighter. "He's our friend."

"He's your friend." Lenore pointed out coolly as she moved over to let Chloe scramble back up on the bed with her. "He's a thorn in my side."

"Ha. You need a thorn in your side." Her suddenly intuitive friend said. "Maybe there's enough people who worship you?"

"Never!" Lenore actually laughed at the teasing she knew she was getting, and tried to shove Chloe off the bed again.

This time Chloe used her extra height and weight to tackle Lenore over and pin her down. "So, can I invite him?"

"Fine." Lenore sighed. "But he's your responsibility. If he breaks or steals anything it's on you."

Chloe started laughing, and she climbed of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Why are you laughing?" Lenore asked, honestly curious, because the tone was much more purposeful than she would expect from her small joke.

"Nothing... It's just how quickly you caved. Actually it's that you caved at all. Makes me think it's not just me who likes having Ralph around."

The pillow hit her in the head before she'd gotten halfway across the room.

That night it was the biggest party for Bart's birthday that any Bass, Waldorf, Van der Woodsen or Archibald had ever seen. Aside from the close knit group of family and friends that were the usual suspects at any Bass gathering, the party was teaming with Chuck and Blair's contacts from the business and fashion world, who all mingled and swirled around the Empire venue.

Near the bar, Dan and Serena stood together, waiting for their drinks and commenting on the night.

"I like it." Dan declared. "Bart's parties usually feel like an intervention."

"And you would know what an intervention looks like, because..." Serena teased.

"I'm cool like that."

"Or you watch too much A&E."

"Fine. I have some lonely nights in Brooklyn."

"Maybe you wouldn't be so lonely if you weren't in Brooklyn." Looking at him poignantly.

"Serena..."

"Dan..."

Their drinks arrived, they downed them and both ordered another. Any conversation was cut off for the moment by the clinking of a fork on glass, and everyone turned towards the stairs. Blair, Chuck and Bart stood there, but it was Blair that addressed the crowd.

"Good evening. First, we'd like to thank you all for coming here tonight, to celebrate our youngest son's birthday. And secondly, this night is also of another special importance. My husband and I are proud to announce, that our son, Bartholomew Bass, will be the new head of Waldorf Designs."

A shock wave went through the crowd, and after a moment of silence there was a thunder of whispers. A glare from Blair is what brought forth the applause. Eleanor had retired years ago from the business, and while Blair was technically the head of the design house, she'd merely assigned designers and wranglers over the past couple of years. She'd talked to Chuck several times about retiring the whole House, but hadn't been able to let go of the sentimentality she held for her mother's business legacy. This was also why it was so easy for her, over the past few days, to quietly restructure the House in preparation for Bart's take over. She and Bart had sat down, several times, together to discuss Waldorf Designs at length. Blair still questioned why this, and why now, when he had never shown an interest in clothes, let alone fashion, but she could see he was more passionate and focused about WD than she'd almost ever seen him on anything.

As the crowd started to press in on the trio on the stairs, another reaction was happening across the room. Harry and Sarah had arrived just in time for the announcement, and she glanced over and looked at him now. There were way more people here than Harry had said there would be.

"Maybe we should wait? Tell them tomorrow?"

Harry said nothing, but his hand on her back pressed her forward, into the party.

Over by one of the ice sculptures, Chloe and Ralph flanked Lenore.

"What's wrong?" Ralph asked, looking at a focused Lenore who was rapidly working her iPhone.

"I just realized I have to revamp my birthday list. If Bart gets a whole company, there's no way I'm settling for a shopping spree in Paris." She tossed off.

"You're going to make a play for the building, aren't you?" Chloe laughed. Lenore had been trying to get her parents to buy her her own high rise since she was seven.

"You know it."

As the initial fervor died down, Blair looked around and noticed that her husband had slipped away. With a dismissive smile, she extricated herself from the cloying group that had surrounded her, and went in search of Chuck. She found him standing near the fireplace with a drink in his hand, staring at the flames. She sidled up beside him, with a knowing smile. "Still pouting?"

"I don't pout." He frowned.

"You do, and it's adorable."

Chuck rolled his eyes, but his thoughts quickly went back to his son. Bart's words from a few days ago still echoed in his ears. "I know what I want for my birthday. I want Waldorf Designs."

While Chuck had been pleased that Bart had taken an interest in something, after giving every indication that he intended to become an academic and live in their house forever, Chuck couldn't help but be a bit disappointed.

"I just thought..."

"I know." Blair soothed. "But they boys are different than you. They want different things... and also..." She broke off, weighing her next words.

"Also?" Chuck urged. Wanting to know what she thought.

Blair sighed. "Chuck, you had a father that you... felt you had to prove something to. For the longest time, you thought Bart thought little of you, that he didn't believe in you. That motivated you. It made you want to prove him wrong. Made you want to earn his respect... his love, even after he was long gone."

Chuck nodded ever so slightly. He loved what he did, always had, but there was a part of him that knew he'd also wanted to not only follow in his father's footsteps, but to make the man proud.

"Chuck, our sons don't have that motivation. You are a million times the man your father was. You're a million times the father your father was. Harry, our Bart, and Lenore... know that you love them, that you like and respect them. I think they feel they have the freedom to make their own choices, because they know that you're not going to feel any differently about them, no matter what they do. You're a good father, Chuck Bass."

By the time she'd finished talking, Chuck's eyes had swelled with tears, he nodded at her, but he couldn't speak for several moments. Blair ran her hand gently up and down his back, soothingly, as she waited for him to process her words.

"God help me if I have to leave Bass Industries to a Humphrey." He joked as he pulled out his phone, that had been vibrating like crazy for the last few minutes.

As he looked through the images and messages, he couldn't help but chuckle. Blair peeked over his shoulder, and smiled as well.

"I don't think you're going to have to worry about who will take over Bass Industries when you're ready to retire..." Blair smirked, making note of the dozens of pictures of buildings that Chuck was being sent by their daughter.

"Echm." They heard a throat clear behind them, and they turned back to face the room, to face Harry, and a woman that it took only a second for them to place.

"Mother. Dad." Harry greeted. "You remember-"

"Sarah." Chuck finished, extending his hand.

Blair had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she stayed coldly silent, waiting for Harry to play it out.

"We just came here tonight-"

"To wish your brother a happy birthday?"

Harry scowled. "Of course." Which was true. He had wanted to see his brother today, he just hadn't expected the massive affair he'd arrive too. It was so un-Bart.

"And to tell you... Sarah and I got married this morning."

TahDAH! Okay, so as of tomorrow we are two weeks away from the premiere! It's weird, because I can't wait for it and am SO excited... but I'm also kind of sad, because after these ten episode... that's the last original material we'll have of Chuck and Blair. I'll probably be getting deeply nostalgic over the next few weeks.

Oh, and maybe this chapter was a little chaotic. So if you have any questions, feel free to ask.


	70. Chapter 70

Hello! For some reason there's been a lot of roller coaster talk in my life over the last few days. I'm not being deep. I've actually had a couple of conversations about actual roller coaster with various people (shout out to zombie roller coasters and Ellen!). I am not a coaster girl, and not even because Canada's Wonderland has an ad where the people riding the coaster turn into zombies (second biggest fear), but because life tends to be thrilling/crazy enough for me. So I generally say, "No, thank you" to coasters... unless I take my glasses off and so can't see what the hell is going on. Anyways, as we're heading down our last road with Gossip Girl... I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. I want to scream and fangirl! I want to love every second till it's over... because I know I'll be sad when it's done. Here we go...

"CH-UCK!" Blair screamed as she clenched around him, a second before his mouth could clamp down on hers to muffle the sound. It ended up serving him more good than her, as he groaned desperately against her lips as he followed her over the edge.

They continued to cling to each other, as they panted to catch their breath. As less important senses started to return, Chuck could feel the cool air of Constance's Headmistress office against his naked backside, which only made the steamy heat that still had him locked to his wife, feel more delicious.

With a sigh, he finally lifted himself off of her, pulling up his boxers and pants before offering her a hand to help her up off the desk. As he adjusted, he watched her tidy herself up with a smirk.

"I've been wanting to do that again for years."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Well, enjoy it. We only have a handful of years left before our last child is out of here, and the doors of Constance/St. Jude's close to us forever."

He pouted in that way that made her think he was adorable. "You've made me sad."

"Lenore is ten. We'll just have to enjoy the homestretch." Blair said slyly as she pulled out her phone, flipped it to mirror and checked her reflection.

With a sigh, she took a tissue to her lips, removing the smudged red, and then quickly set about applying a fresh perfect coat. Put together himself, he propped a hip on the desk, and let himself enjoy the sight of her.

She was just tucking her lipstick back into her purse when the door opened and Head Mistress Palmer walked into her office.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bass? May I ask what you are doing in here?"

"Conference." Chuck said without missing a beat.

"If you'll excuse us..." Blair dismissed the school head, as she and Chuck walked cooly out of the office.

With the door shut, Palmer looked at her desk and groaned. "Not again." She went to the filing cabinet, and took out the gloves, paper towel and cleaner she kept there for days when the Basses had meetings with a teacher.

In the hall, Chuck and Blair's eyes met and they shared a smile as he held out his hand to her. She took it and they started towards Lenore's classroom. They were halfway there when a couple stumbled out of a darkened classroom.

"S!"

"B!" The women greeted each other with the glee they always did... when they weren't fighting and hadn't seen each other in two days.

"Chuck."

"Humphrey." The men greeted with the disdain of two people who saw very little redeemable qualities in each other.

Blair raised an eyebrow. "S? I don't believe that's Chloe's classroom..."

"How was Palmer's office?" Serena asked innocently.

Both Chuck and Dan looked at each other with mild disgust.

"How was your meeting with Marlin?" Blair changed the subject, and asked about their meeting with the teacher that Lenore and Chloe shared.

"It was great." Dan answered with a proud smile. "Mr. Marlin said Chloe was a pleasure to have in the class."

Blair and Chuck just blinked at him. Serena shrugged. "You know how Chloe is."

The women shared a hug again, and then both couples turned to part ways. The men couldn't resist passing shots at sore spots.

"How's the new daughter-in-law?"

"How's the new book?"

"Bye, Chuck."

"Goodbye, Humphrey."

After being greeted by the teacher, Chuck and Blair sat in the seats that had been set out for the parents.

"While it's clear, through her class participation, that she's done the readings and fully grasps the material... I'm sorry to say, I've come to believe that the papers Lenore hands in are not her own."

"Since you cannot be basing this on mere suspicion, I'm sure you have some evidence?"

"Well, I've been reading Ms. Bass' papers all year, and while excellent, for the first few months, they read like her. Currently? I can't hear her voice in the prose."

Chuck raised an incredulous brow. "You're basing your accusation on... that a paper... doesn't sound like Lenore?"

"Whoever's written them is capable of empathy." The sweating teacher blurted out.

"Since you're operating with a community college education, let me explain something to you... If you have an accusation against Lenore Bass, you better have more to back it up with, than your loose excuse for reading comprehension." Blair's eyes were cutting and her words cold. "And also know, that she doesn't stand alone. Both her father and I are right behind her. Do I make myself clear?"

He swallowed audibly. "Ye-yes, Mrs. Bass."

"Good." Blair fake smile slid over her face again. "Let's forget the unpleasantness of your delusional of the last few minutes, and why don't you tell us of her excellent academic achievements."

After a half hour of listening to the teacher sing Lenore's praises, the Basses exited the school and climbed into their limo.

"Well?" Raised an eyebrow at her husband, wanting to know his thoughts.

"Took him long enough. Lenore's been paying a high school honours student to write her papers for the past six months." He then looked to her to gain her take on the situation. "You?"

"Our oldest son, once again, got married without inviting us. Our youngest son, who has never cared if he was in Armani or Sears for men, is suddenly CEO of a fashion house. So our daughter pulling a Daddy's Girl... is really the least of my worries... other than the fact that she tipped her hat. You should talk to her about that."

They walked into their home, and a not-so-subtly waiting Lenore stood up from where she'd been sitting and definitely NOT waiting for them on the stairs. Blue was in her arms, and she clutched her cat to her. She was dressed for bed, without having been told to do so. Her hair was freshly washed and combed. Her father's golden eyes were the picture of sharpness, their expression the exact image of her mother's doe innocence.

"Hello." She smiled at them. "Good night?"

They looked at each other and then looked at her. Waiting. Knowing. Silence was how they were going to draw out her confession.

"Okay, so... You know, right? School is so boring!" She declared with a foot stomp. "I've already read all the books! And writing the papers were giving me headaches! I was getting frown lines! FROWN LINES!"

They kept looking at her.

"Are you mad? Don't be mad... or if you do... think about Blue." She beseeched and held Blue out in front of her. "She's like my Baby Girl! And... it's her Birthday! You wouldn't be angry at me, when I'm holding my Baby Girl, on her birthday, would you?"

"Happy Birthday, Baby Girl." Chuck said drolly. "And you're not in trouble."

Lenore smiled, knowing that she wouldn't be. Her Baby Girl Birthday Plan had worked.

"Don't smile too big. You're going to have to find a new writing minion. Your old one's not got a good touch."

"Noted." She said, turning to skip away while the getting was good.

"Oh, and Lenore?"

She turned slowly back. "Yes?"

"And for the millionth time... Blue's a boy."

In Connecticut...

Sarah felt strange walking across the massive lobby, and even stranger in knowing she was living in the best apartment in the impressive building. She'd moved in shortly after she and Harry had gotten married just weeks ago, but it still felt new. It also still felt like she didn't belong. This was a feeling that got stronger when she crossed into her new home.

She didn't call out to anyone, she just quietly walked to the side hall and hung her jacket up. She'd stayed at the library, studying, for hours, before finally heading home. While it was dark in the apartment, small lamps had been left lit. She didn't hazard to think that they'd been left on for her.

She walked towards the guest room, where she'd been sleeping since moving in, and passed the nursery as she went. The light was on and she could hear the nanny talking on her phone, and she seemed upset. Sarah pushed the ajar door open wide, and stepped in.

"Is there are problem?"

"Oh, Mrs. Bass!" The Nanny gasped as her head shot up and she quickly tucked her phone into her pocket.

Sarah was caught off guard for a moment at being addressed as Mrs. Bass. It still felt unreal and new, and she always felt like she should look around for Harry's mother whenever she heard it. But his mom wasn't here. She was Mrs. Bass.

"Hi." Sarah, clearing her throat and trying to focus. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes!" The woman rushed. "I told Mr. Bass that I could work late tonight, but my husband just called and my son is running a fever..."

For a second, Sarah just stared at her blankly, not comprehending what the woman was asking. As it her her, words started flying out of her mouth before she had time to think about it, and she was sending the nanny home. It seemed as if within minutes of her walking in the door she was left alone with the wide eyed baby who was staring up at her from the crib. She had never once been left alone with him before. The pit of her stomach bottomed out.

It was as if he could smell fear. Fredrick's lower lip started to wobble.

"Oh, no, no, no!" She whispered frantically. "Go to sleep, Fredrick!"

And with that she ran out of the room.

Not her finest moment. As she stood in the hallway, leaning against the closed door, she enjoyed about forty-five seconds of quiet before the crying started. She opened the door and hurried back in.

"Okay! Okay! I'm back!" She said in the fakest of nice voices, the one she hadn't used since she'd been left alone with her rich grandmother when she was twelve.

Fredrick did not stop crying. His little arms did however lift, and his tiny hands opened and shut repeatedly, grasping for her.

"Oh, my god." Her eyes rolled skyward, and then she reached down and picked him up for the first time alone. "You're going to make this a very long night, aren't you?"

Fredrick hiccuped in response... and then rubbed his snotty face into her shoulder.

Just past two in the morning, Harry came home. He'd had a late study group, and then a meeting with his lawyers that had gone on too long. Loosening his tie he headed for the nursery. The small night light was on, and his eyes took moment to adjust, but as they did he could already hear the soft rhythm of Fredrick's breaths, and a sense of calm filled him. Then he almost stepped on Sarah.

As his foot came down on her, Harry instantly recoiled, but the pressure was enough to send her lurching up and him jerking back. Both let out startled cries, stirring the baby.

"SHHHH!"

"SHHH!"

After the frantic shushing, they froze and stayed silent till the tiny breaths evened out again. Then they looked at each other in the semi-darkness.

"You're home!" She declared.

"You're sleeping on the floor..." He whispered with a raised brow.

"I have a pillow." She said defensively.

"I'll never understand the lower classes." With mock incredulity.

She threw the pillow at him. He caught it before it hit the ground, and signaled for them to leave. He offered her a hand to help her up, and she took it, his squeezing her's a fraction too long before he pulled it quickly away.

They walked out and down the hall to the living room, and Harry turned the baby monitor on before giving her his full attention.

"So?"

"So... the nanny had to leave, and Fredrick wasn't sleepy. So I picked him up, and then he felt wet, which led to me changing my first diaper. It took seven tries, but it's on... I think. Why do they put the tabs in the back?"

"They don't."

"Oh." She paused, picturing the task she'd thought she accomplished. "Anyways, so after he was changed, I couldn't get all those little snaps done up... So, I ended up just putting him in one of my t-shirts. Don't worry. He looks good." She defended when she saw Harry about to argue.

"So, then he started crying again... and I took a guess he might be hungry. So I gave him a bottle, and about a minute after he finished it, he threw up all over himself, and me... and I figured, well, now, that's bulimic, and so we started all over again."

"Did you burp him?"

"Yes. After I looked up online why babies puke, and then watched a YouTube video on how to burp them."

"Nice." Harry actually said with admiration. During his first night with Fredrick he'd called his mother to beg for help.

"Thanks." She shot him a smile. "So, after his bottle and burp... he kind of passed out-"

"Like a drunken sailor?" Harry cut in. He was familiar with how dopey freshly fed babies could look.

"YES!" She laugh. He laughed at the sound. "So, then, after four tries, I managed to slip him into his crib without him waking up... and here we are."

"Okay... but how does that explain you sleeping on the floor?"

"What if he needed me?" She said honestly.

"There's a chair in there..."

"He could see me!"

"So you're like... a sleep ninja?" He teased.

"Shut up!" She hit him in the arm.

They smiled at each other for a moment before both of them snapped back to reality. Their faces fell. They needed out of this moment. This all felt too right. Harry landed on an excuse first.

"I'm beat..."

"Me too."

"Goodnight, Harry."

Goodnight, Sarah."

TahDAH. My mom came to stay with me, a little suddenly a couple of days ago. Here when I need her. She's an amazing mom. Anyhoo, I literally had half a box of cereal, half a jar of peanut butter, and a bottle of Mio in my kitchen. I had to go out for a bit, and she was alone in my apartment. After she went to bed, I got up for a glass of water. I opened my fridge and there was a loaf of bread, one cucumber, and a bag of baby carrots in there. Awwww! She's adorable! Then I opened the freezer. NO ice cream. DOES SHE KNOW ME AT ALL? I kid. She's wonderful. She went home this morning. She'll be back again soon. Also I know a mom, who's read this chapter and thought "HEY! I'm the sleep ninja!"

Oh, and this chapter also goes out to a very special reader (cough Mary cough) for being awesome! Happy marathon DVD times! Thanks again!


	71. Chapter 71

Hello! Since I said nice things about my mom last chapter, I'll tell you what the weirdo did soon after that. When she stays at my place, I generously have her sleep on the futon, and I curl up on Edgar, my comfy bed. Stop it. I have a trick back, and I've seen the woman happily sleep on the floor. So, the futon is creaky. REALLY creaky. When she'd turn over the thing would LOUDLY go creak. My mom sincerely apologized for the noise, and I was like, "Don't worry. Only repetitive noise bothers me." She was then like, "Oh, you mean like this?" and she started bouncing. It was annoying... and sounded HIGHLY inappropriate. And yes, I yelled at her and begged her to stop. She did but cackled. Yes. Like a witch. Here we go...

Lenore strolled into the dining room, picture perfect for school, which started in an hour. Her parents were seated for breakfast, and today they were joined by Harry and Sarah, who were in town for the weekend. A sleeping Fredrick was upstairs with the nanny.

Blair didn't look up from her agenda, but offered her cheek, which Lenore placed a kiss on. "Good morning, Mother."

"Good morning, darling."

Lenore walked over to her father and repeated the same fond gesture. As she walked to her own chair, she smiled at Harry and Sarah. Sarah smiled back. Harry leaned back to get comfortable. He knew that smile of hers. Lenore was feeling spunky this morning.

"Daddy, did you know that very soon... I'll be menstruating." She announced innocently.

Chuck glanced over at Blair and raised an eyebrow. Blair just smirked at him. "Welcome to the wonderful world of raising daughters."

"Is it really 'daughters'?" Harry asked. "Or is it the world of raising Lenore Bass?"

"My uterine wall will thicken, and my ovaries will release an egg, and if it goes unfertilized-"

"_When_ it goes unfertilized." Blair said pointedly, still not looking up.

"Of course." Lenore rolled her eyes, but added in a quick, "For now" just to mess with her mom. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what she was talking about but she liked the way her family squirmed whenever she did.

"Then, about once a month, I'll shed my lining." She looked over at Harry as if he knew nothing. "It's called a period."

"So I've heard." He grimaced.

"From my vagina. That's where I'll bleed... From my vagina." She told him with a smile. Having fun.

Harry set his fork down with a sigh. She'd won. He'd lost his appetite. Sarah hid a laugh, but Lenore caught it and turned her attention to her.

"Sarah?" Lenore asked with giant, innocent hazel eyes.

Sarah swallowed hard. "Yes, Lenore?"

"Do you menstruate?"

It was Harry's turn to start laughing, he cast a sly smile of at his wife. "Well, tell her. You shouldn't lie to children."

"I imagine she does, given our lack of grandchildren news... but since, from what I understand, you two remain bride and groom rather than wife and husband..." Chuck said cryptically.

"What does that mean?" It was Lenore's turn to look confused.

"You told them?!" Sarah gasped, knowing exactly what her father-in-law meant.

"As a running average? Harry can't keep a secret from a Bass." Blair pointed out, smiling over her coffee cup.

Lenore wasn't pleased the conversation had turned away from her chosen digs. She brought it around again.

"Mother, soon you'll be going into menopause."

Blair dropped her spoon.

"Not so funny now, is it?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"I, for one, can't wait." Chuck said. "Then the 'If you get me pregnant again, Bass, I'm going to cut them off myself' rants will finally be put to an end."

"You barely cringe when they talk like this. If this were my parents I'm be in therapy for ten years. I'm 90% sure that I'm the product of immaculate conception." Sarah leaned over to say to Harry.

"My parents have been sexually inappropriate with each other for as long as I can remember. I've grown used to it." Harry shrugged.

"We prefer open minded." Blair quipped, and shot a naughty smirk at her ever sexy husband.

Chuck caught her hand and kissed the back of it before turning it over and kissing the inside of her wrist.

Breakfast continued, and after Lenore had finished her yogurt and granola, she got up and walked over to her father's side. He looked over at her, and saw the serious look in her eyes. He pushed his chair back to pull her into his lap.

"Daddy, will you still love me when I'm not your little girl anymore?" She rested her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"You'll always be my little girl." He kissed her forehead. "Just like your brothers will always be my baby boys."

"AWW." Sarah teased, reaching out and pinching Harry's cheek. Then she got a look behind Harry's shoulder, and let out a long wolf whistle.

Every Bass' eyes shot to where Sarah was looking. Lenore sat up in her father's lap. Chuck's head cocked to the side. Blair quirked a brow. Harry nearly choked on the coffee he'd just swallowed.

His hair was perfectly groomed, clearly held in place by product. The suit he wore was of classic fashion, but current styles. It was cut perfectly to his lean body.

Bart stood in the door way, giving them all the eye that he didn't want to hear it.

"Don't move." Blair told him and grabbed her phone. "I need a picture of this!"

Bart rolled his eyes, but stood still.

"My baby's first day of work!"

"Look who learned how to dress like a real man..." Harry smirked at his brother.

Violet sat on the plane, her face turned to the window as she watch New York spread out underneath her. She couldn't believe she was moving back to Manhattan. No matter how long she'd been away, she'd always considered the city her home. It was why she'd always kept an ear out for a job there, a chance to move back.

Then the perfect job had fallen into her lap. She heard that Eleanor Waldorf Designs was being revamped, but it seemed pretty hush hush. Violet had planned on drilling Harry for details, but before that could happen, she'd gotten a call from a headhunter, offering her a position at EWD.

She took it in a heartbeat, because she'd never found a job more perfect for her. And here she was, three days later, on a plane to New York. Violet was coming home.

Harry and Sarah stood at the arrivals gate, waiting to meet his best friend. Sarah adjusted her outfit for the millionth time, not thinking Harry noticed. He noticed everything she did.

"She doesn't bite." He commented dryly.

"I know." She told him snootily, but he could sense the insecurity behind her words.

Not looking at her, but keeping his eyes on the gate, he spoke. "You look lovely. You always do."

She stopped adjusting, and looked at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the subject. "Did you PVR Scandal?"

"Yes." She smiled, remembering how reluctant he'd been to watch, had said he wouldn't, but somehow ended up next to her on the couch every Thursday night.

"I think Olivia is who my little sister could grow up to be." Harry commented as people started filing out of the gate.

"If she ever chooses to use her powers for good, instead of evil." Sarah smirked.

"Good and evil are subjective terms." He shrugged.

As she looked at Harry, she saw his face change. It lit up as he smiled at someone, and Sarah followed his gaze to the woman she recognized from pictures. By Sarah's eye, the pictures did not do Violet justice. The beautiful woman practically ran to Sarah's husband and threw her arms around him. He hugged her tightly back, and watching from the sidelines, his wife felt a twist of something in her gut. If she didn't know better she'd think it was jealousy.

No, she told herself. It was annoyance at the two old friends embracing for so long, and ignoring her. Rude much? Sarah scowled. The face changed to a giant smile when Harry and Violet finally pulled away and remembered that she existed. Their shoulders were still touching.

"Sarah, this is my best friend Violet." Harry introduced with deep affection. "Violet, this is Sarah."

Sarah couldn't help but notices that he didn't introduce her as his wife. Unconsciously her left hand went to her hair to tuck a strand back behind her ear, also displaying the rings that sparkled there. Violet's eyes narrowed on the gesture, recognizing it for what it was. She could have very easily assuaged the tension, but she still had many reservations about the redhead and her best friend.

So instead of the concession of, "It's so nice to finally meet Harry's wife.", which is what she should do, she went with simple, "Nice to meet you."

As the three of them walked through the airport and to the waiting limo, the two best friends dominated the talking. Sarah knew they spoke regularly, so didn't see what there was to catch up on. She followed along quietly, listening to the easy banter between her husband and the beautiful woman. Practically purple eyes? Genetically freakish if you ask me, Sarah thought to herself. And who names a kid with purple eyes Violet?

She was so lost in her thoughts, Sarah was startled when they pulled up at EWD to drop Violet off. Violet wanted to get started right away, so had changed on the plane, and had her things sent to her suite at the Palace. She kissed Harry's cheek and nodded at Sarah, before climbing out of the limo. She was already clicking down the sidewalk when Harry lowered his window to call after her.

"My parents are expecting you for dinner tonight! Gramercy Tavern! Eight o'clock!" He waited till he saw her smile and nod before raising the window and sitting back against the seat.

When Harry and Sarah got back to his parent's home, Fredrick was up and dress, ready to be taken to the park. They walked the short distance in all but silence, with Fredrick's babbling running a steady stream. Harry pushed the stroller, but Sarah's hand rested on one side of the handle, right next to his.

Sarah looked around, reflecting how every time she came to New York she fell deeper and deeper in love with it. Harry looked at the city he'd loved his whole life, the city he'd grown up in, and knew it was the greatest on Earth. He vowed that as soon as he was done school he was moving them back to Manhattan and never leaving again.

At the playground, Harry took Fredrick out of the stroller and set him in the infant swing. He stood behind him and pushed the baby, smiling when he heard his light laughter. Sarah couldn't help but pull out her phone and snap a few shots of the pair. When she was done, she wandered over to one of the nearest support poles to the swing Fredrick was in, and leaned against it, watching the baby.

A breeze blew across the playground and stands of her long, red hair, flew across her mouth, sticking to her lipgloss. As she pulled them away she glanced over and saw that Harry was looking intently at her.

"What?" She asked, somewhat self-consciously.

"I'm sorry if that was hard for you." He said quietly, giving Fredrick another gentle push.

"Excuse me?" Sarah asked, her heart in her throat that he'd guessed at the jealousy she experienced earlier that morning.

Harry cleared his throat and carefully sidestepped the moving swing for a moment. He stood so near her, that she could smell his cologne "Seeing me with Violet... I know your best friends are gone..."

She suddenly realized what he was talking about. He knew she'd been affected by something earlier, he'd just guessed at the wrong thing.

"It was fine."

"I know it wasn't. I could tell how uncomfortable it made you."

Again she was touched by him noticing her. Caring about her. The wind blew her hair again, but this time, before she could reach for it, she saw his hand come up. She froze, waiting for his touch. She could almost feel the heat of his finger tips... when they both heard the distinct sound of a throat clearing. They jerked away from each other, Sarah pulling the hair off her face by herself, and turned to the interloper. It was an upper middle class worker bee, who's face fell under Harry's hostile look, and the fact that they recognized a Bass when they saw one.

The man cleared his throat again, not with agitation this time, but with nerves. "Umm... Your baby's sleeping..."

Sarah and Harry's gaze shot to Fredrick, who was indeed asleep. In fact, he'd slumped forward against the thick plastic restraint, and was drooling down its side. Before Harry could get him, Sarah was lifting Fredrick out of the swing. The baby curled into her shoulder, and Sarah's arms came up to support him. She felt him relax against her, and she patted his back gently.

"You're getting better at that."

Sarah raised her free shoulder coyly, and gave him a saucy smile. "What are you talking about? I've been charming boys for years."

Harry laughed. "That you have. Apologies."

They walked out of the park, Harry pushing the empty stroller, and Sarah with a sleeping Fredrick held gently in her arms. They didn't notice the man with the camera, or the fact that he'd been taking pictures of them for a while.

After being dropped off, Violet had walked through the revolving doors of the building that housed EWD with an air of confidence. She'd signed in at the security desk, and boldly headed into the elevator and all the way up to the high floors of the design house.

Once there, an associate had shown her to her new office, briefed her on the agenda for the day, and then left to give her a few moments to get settled. Violet gave the man a cool smile, and then shut the door after him. She'd waited a whole minute before she'd started running around the room and touching everything in her new office. Design table, desk, fabric sample, forms, colour swatches... everything. After that, she'd taken a deep breath, steadied herself, and headed to the first meeting scheduled.

Violet had hit the ground running. The House was being rejuvenated, and the whole brand was being made over, refreshed and modernized. She's sat in on design workshops, brainstormed patterns, and then sat down at her design table to sketch out all the ideas that were now flowing through her brain.

She lost track of time, and before she knew it, an assistant was standing in her doorway.

"Yes?" Violet asked as she grabbed her phone to check the time. It was almost 7pm. Where had her day gone? She got up and started to gather her things, knowing she'd have to motor in order to get to dinner on time.

"The CEO wants to see you."

Violet looked up. She'd heard very little about her boss, and in fact had come to assume they were just a figure head, hired by Blair Bass to ghost the place. She checked her timing again, and fired off a quick text to tell Harry she may be running late. The Basses were all busy people, they'd understand.

Checking her appearance, she made her way up one flight to the CEO's office, and she was mentally preparing herself to bluff her way through the introduction, given she had no idea what their name was. When she got to the waiting room, there was no secretary at the desk, but given the time of night she wasn't surprised, so she knocked on the door. She heard a muffled voice call to her to come in, and so she opened the door. The room was large and expertly decorated, but the overhead lights were off, and the lamps bathed the room dimly. It took her a moment to see him, and it took her another moment to recognize the perfectly dressed and styled man in front of her.

"Miss me?" Bart asked with a half smile and a raised eyebrow.

"About as much as I miss the mole I had removed last summer. By which I mean, NOT AT ALL!" She half yelled, realizing exactly what trap she'd not walked into, but run. She turned on her heel and stormed out.

Bart watched her go, knowing he'd see her again soon.

TahDAH! So sorry for the long delay! Do I get a little forgiven for writing two one shots... and a weird "Stick it to Liz" fic? I'm going to try to not go that far between updates again. I actually have the next chapter already going in my head.

BIG thanks to Ellen for reading this chapter and giving me feedback. It really helped, so thanks, Ellen!

And now? I'm off to watch Sister Wives!


	72. Chapter 72

Hello! How are we all tonight? I'm trying to figure out if I've communicated strongly enough how much I love Christmas? One of my FAVOURITE things in the world is going to my mom's and decorating her house. For the most part it's me, her and my stepdad. Like a team of psychotic elves! It literally takes four days, and our motto has always been, "Go big or go home". Here's a very brief run down, 4 by 6 foot Santa carpet, three trees, Santa display on the mantle, Snowman display on side table, full Christmas village, light up lawn reindeer... in the dining room, lights on anything that will stay still. And if Elizabeth is reading this and raising an eyebrow, yes. I'm still an atheist. I perhaps get confused at the saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season"... The five year old in me is jumping up and down, giddily thinking "Isn't it SANTA CLAUS?" hehe. Here we go...

"MOTHER! MOTHER!" Lenore screamed as she stood in the centre of her bedroom. "MOOOOOOTHER!"

Ralph, who was lying on her bed with a pencil and his small sketch pad, only flinched when she hit the highest decibel on her last scream. Lenore looked down and inspected one of her nails, counted to 17, and then inhaled to let loose another bellow, when her father appeared in the door.

"You're not Mother." Lenore scowled.

"Not the last time I checked." Chuck commented. "She's getting ready for dinner. What do you need?"

"My mother." Lenore said petulantly.

"Did you get your period?" Her father asked as innocently as she often did, even though his question was anything but.

"DADDY!" Lenore screamed, utterly mortified. She pointedly glanced over at Ralph and then back at her father, making it clear she didn't want the topic of any of her now or future bodily functions brought up in present company.

Chuck raised his brows in faux contrition. "I'm sorry? I thought your coming menstruation was something that weighed heavily on your mind at present, and was open to discussion?"

For a moment he thought she was going to burst into flames and take him with her.

"I'll ask again." Chuck said carefully. "What do you need?"

Lenore paused. Amber eyes meeting amber eyes. Stalemate, so she moved on.

"I don't get why EVERYONE else gets to bring someone to dinner, and I don't?!" She stomped her foot.

"That isn't true." Chuck said calmly.

"Is to!"

"Your mother and I don't have a guest."

"You bring each other everywhere!"

"Point ceded." Chuck smiled. "But Bart isn't bringing anyone."

"Yes he is! Heeeellllooooooo! Violet!" Lenore indignantly pointed out.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Violet is Harry's best friend."

Lenore's eyes widened fractionally, and then went evasive. "Of course. Violet is Harry's best friend, and so he's bringing her... and he's bringing Sarah... So, if he can bring two people, why can't I bring one?"

But Chuck knew his daughter too well. He kneeled down, a half smile on his face and narrowed eyes. "What do you know?"

"Nothing..." She shifted under his gaze, and would swear she heard a snicker behind her. She shot Ralph a murderous gaze.

"Have you been reading your brother's ejournal again?" Chuck asked cautiously.

"It's not my fault he keeps picking the names of Canadian provinces for his password! There are only 10 of them!"

"Your Mother and I have made it clear, haven't we? No spying on your brothers."

"I'm sorry..." She ducked her head and attempted to look contrite.

Chuck looked at her for a minute. "So, what did he write?"

"Daddy!" She gasped innocently. "I couldn't possibly tell you... That would be like... perpetuating the spying cycle."

He raised a brow at his little apple, that had not fallen far from either of her parental trees.

"Besides, Daddy." Her eyes twinkled. "You'll find out soon enough."

Chuck contemplated grilling his daughter, as she smiled like a cat with a canary up at him.

"So be it." Chuck straightened. "We leave for dinner in ten minutes."

"What about me? Can I bring someone." She pushed again, not having forgotten her first point.

"Lenore..." He started to deny her.

"It's not fair! It's like we don't even live in America!" She declared dramatically, waving her hands in the air.

"Fine, you can bring a friend." Chuck looked around and spotted Ralph playing on his laptop. "Ralph?"

"Yes, Mr. Bass?"

"Are you hungry?"

Ralph looked contemplative for a moment, then nodded. "Always."

"Good." Chuck nodded. "Go tell your grandmother that you're going out for dinner."

"What?!" Lenore snapped, as Ralph leapt off her bed and ran out of the room to find his grandmother. "I wanted to invite Chloe!"

"Chloe's in Brooklyn, so she'll never make it back in time. As one of your two best friends, Ralph is the next best thing."

"He isn't my second best friend! I hate him." She scowled.

Chuck's couldn't help but smile, and his finger tapped her nose. "Keep telling yourself that..."

Later that evening Harry and Sarah walked into the private dining room at the restaurant and came up short. Bart was there.

"You're here?" Harry asked, thrown off.

Bart shrugged as if his being the first to arrive meant nothing... Which even the newest Bass, Sarah, knew was a load of crap. Bart was never early for anything, let alone the first to arrive.

Harry held out Sarah's chair for her, and they sat down, neither taking their eyes off him. Bart just took a sip of his wine. Which was another thing the couple noted.

"He's drinking?" Sarah whispered to Harry, deliberately loud enough for Bart to hear.

Harry smiled at his wife's teasing tone, and got into the game.

"It appears he is. My baby brother, who has never liked the taste of the nectar of the gods... is drinking it like a big boy!" Harry's smile grew. "Unless..."

Harry snatched the wine glass away from his brother and took a quick swig from the crystal. He laughed. "As I suspected... cranberry juice."

Harry and Sarah both laughed as an indignant Bart snatched back his glass.

"Someone's testy tonight..." Harry smiled.

Sarah was about to comment when they were distracted by the bickering of young voices.

"You smell like cheese, and not like good cheese. Discount slices."

"I'm lactose intolerant."

"I'm Ralph intolerant, but you're still here."

The tired look on their parent's faces told the trio at the table that this bickering had been going on for a while. Like the past five years.

Greetings were passed around, and they all settled in, with one seat open at the table. Bart pulled at his perfectly buttoned collar. Of course his mother saw.

"You look very handsome. Very old Hollywood." She smiled at him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "He looks like you behind the wheel of a car. Not natural."

"I will remind you that I do not drive because I _choose_ not to drive." Blair said haughtily.

"Of course." Harry looked at his brother. "Did Mother pick out that outfit for you."

"I did not." Blair defended, smiling at Bart. She knew he was trying to project his image differently now that he was CEO of EWD. Blair knew what it was like to try.

Harry caught Lenore's proud smile.

"Oh, my god. You let Lenore dress you!" Harry nearly hurt something laughing.

"I have excellent taste. Just like my parents." Lenore blinked and smiled at her parents.

"This is why she's their favourite." Harry jokingly comment to Sarah.

The familiar banter continued for several moment, until they heard the hostess and the clear clack of heels of another heading towards the dining room. Then Violet was there in a whirlwind, taking a moment to greet everyone... with one exception that wouldn't have been noticeable, except someone had been taking careful note.

"You missed Bart." Lenore pointed out, a smirk on her face because she liked this new game.

"Lillian Eleanor, I do believe you're right!" Violet deliberately used Lenore's full name, subtly hitting back. She was rewarded by the true Bass scowl that graced the 10 year old's face.

"Who's Lillian Eleanor?" Ralph asked, confused.

"No one." Lenore said coldly as her eyes shot daggers at a smiling Violet who was taking her seat next to Harry.

"Really? Cause she looked right at you and called you Lillian Eleanor..." Ralph said happily catching on.

"FINE!" Her eyes rolled skyward and she bit out. "I am."

"As in... Your name is Lillian Eleanor?!" He grinned with glee.

"She hates it." Harry leaned in to whisper conspiratorially.

"This is the best thing I've ever heard!"

"I hate you so much." Lenore muttered as the waiter came in as started talking drink orders.

"Why did I never know this? Does Chloe know?"

"Since she's my cousin and Lillian is her grandmother too... Yeah, she knows." Lenore snarled, contemplating how many times she could stab Ralph with her for before her parents stopped her.

The rest of the dinner passed rather nicely, given that the Basses all really did enjoy each others company. Sarah, Violet and Ralph were included, but also each got the chance to really watch the family interact. There were shots and teasing, far to much sexual innuendo between the elder Basses, but lovely none the less. Harry charming, yet challenging. Bart quiet, but ever interesting with his nonverbal reactions. Lenore demanding, but indulged.

Underneath it all, each of the outside three could feel it. The current of deep love and affection that ran between the five Basses. It made you crave acceptance into their very private club.

As the evening wound down, Harry and Sarah excused themselves before dessert to head back to the penthouse to be with Fredrick. Violet quickly made her excuses and followed shortly after them, fleeing with Bart's eyes on her back the whole time. After dessert was finish, a dessert where Lenore kept sneaking spoon fulls of Ralph's chocolate cake, while swatting his spoon away as he made for her hot fudge sundae, they all piled out of the restaurant onto the sidewalk.

Arthur held the door open, and the children quickly climbed in. Bart paused and his parent looked at him. He shook his head, and then took a moment to kiss each of their cheeks, before turning and starting down the sidewalk alone.

Within minutes of the limo starting, both children were asleep. Lenore's head rested on Ralph's shoulder, and his head rested on hers. Blair smiled as she snapped a photo on her phone.

"You better not let her see that..." Chuck cautioned teasingly. "Remember what happened when she found the bathtub shots from when she was 2?"

Blair frowned at the thought. Last year Lenore and Chloe had found one of the private albums Blair kept in her closet, just for her and Chuck's eyes. Lenore had laughed at the pictures of her brother as babies, running naked around the house (endless shots of Bart doing this, fewer of Harry), but then she'd gotten to her pages. Lenore had ripped them from album and thrown them into the fire. "She destroyed my property. I should have sued her... or forced her into the tub to retake them!"

Chuck squeezed Blair's hand, knowing that under the anger was hurt. Blair loved looking back at all their family pictures, especially the ones of their children as babies. There had been many nights, usually when one of their ever growing children had hit a milestone, when Blair would pull out one or ten albums, and they'd sit on their bed together, looking at the shots and reminiscing about favourite memories. She didn't know this, but Chuck had found the old memory key with Lenore's bathtub time shots on it, and were having them printed and remounted into the album as a gift.

With Lenore and Ralph asleep, and the drive to Ralph's house a good twenty minutes, Chuck changed topics.

"So... Bart and Violet..."

Blair's eyes lit up. Both she and Chuck were experts at reading people, and it had been like a neon sign that Violet was the one. The woman to swipe Bart's V-card.

"Oh my god. We gave our son a sex toy."

"I believe it was you who gifted him with his Violet lure. I'll just go over with him how to effectively use condoms. I gave him the talk when he was eleven. Time for a refresher."

Switching gears, Blair looked at Chuck. "I'm worried."

Chuck nodded but said nothing for a moment. "She likes him. She doesn't want to, but she does."

Blair thought about how Violet had avoided looking at Bart all evening, and nodded as well. "But Bart is..."

"Bart." Chuck finished.

"This might not end well." Blair said thoughtfully.

Chuck pulled her closer, and kissed her forehead.

Meanwhile Harry and Sarah had returned to the Waldorf penthouse for one more night before heading back to their place in New Haven.

"If Bart got Waldorf Designs... I think an island in Fiji would make a lovely wedding present, don't you?" Harry commented as they got off the elevator.

"I'm a redhead, remember? I freckle. I'd much rather a castle in Scotland." She joked.

Harry smiled at her smile, and then helped her off with her jacket. "I'll get right on that..."

For a moment they stood so close, that their breathing was felt by both of them. Harry's head dipped slightly. Sarah held her breath. Then Fredrick cried.

Both their heads shot up, and they jumped apart. It took a minute to realize that something wasn't right. Fredrick's crying wasn't coming upstairs, it was coming from the living room. The pair quickly followed the sound, and found a man, standing by the couch, holding the crying baby, and gently bouncing him to sooth him.

"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked, instantly on edge.

The man smiled and Sarah felt her gut go cold even before he spoke.

"The name is Carter Baizen... and this is my son."

TahDAH! So, like I've said, I'm massively into Christmas. I am the chief decorator for my family's place. I call the shots. Basically I'm Santa. Two years ago, my family knew I was moving to Vancouver and so took pictures of EVERYTHING, then last year they spent hours recreating what they saw in the pictures. Adorable. Now I'm back. Last night my stepdad was like, "Do you want me to get the pictures?" I looked at him like he was nuts. I MADE the displays. I am the Queen Christmas Bee! I don't need stinking pictures! PLUS, I fiddle with everything till it looks JUST like I want it to, so when I do it, it's stunning no matter what. Okay... I'll admit it... I am a Christmas Diva. And everyone is okay with that. SO SAYS ME!

BTW Celine Dion's Christmas album is the best one ever.


	73. Chapter 73

Hello! I'm writing this on the eve of our last New Gossip Girl. I've been watching since season one, when a chance viewing of the end of Victor/Victrola, had me tuning in the next week, "Just to see what happened after", and I've been here ever since. Yes, there have been a few times I thought I was going to puke or pull my hair out, but this show has also given me some great wonderful moments... the most, by FAR, were Chuck and Blair moments. I love me some CB and I adore me so many CB fans that I've met. It's been a great ride. Looking forward to tomorrow, fingers crossed for a real, canon Chairytale ending. I'm gonna be a mess tomorrow night. My poor therapist this week. Here we go...

Chuck rode up in the elevator to their penthouse, leaning against the wall, listening to the hum of the traveling car. While things were slow this close to the holidays, he was putting in longer hours than he normally would, so that he could clear his schedule and be fully off for a week or more at Christmas. Tonight had been his last late night for the next while. His wife loved the holidays, she always had, but he'd been reluctant early on. Christmas had been nothing to him growing up, no tree, to Santa, no family.

Then there was Blair. She was his wife, and together they'd made this family together. Over the decades they'd built traditions and memories that meant the world to him. He'd never admit it, but... he might just love Christmas more than anyone. He chuckled to himself, knowing he was wrong. Lenore loved Christmas more than all the Basses put together. When she was younger there were three years in a row where they'd found her sleeping under the tree Christmas morning. It had only Harry ripping the corner of one gift in her hear to have her amber eyes popping open.

When he entered the apartment the main lights were off even though it was only just after supper, but he didn't find that unusual. After Blair had the tree up up, she always kept the other lights dimmed in the evening so that they could enjoy the Christmas lights.

He set his things aside and quietly walked into the living room. It was empty of people except for her. Chuck knew in seconds what Blair was doing. She'd supervised the decorating of the tree, but she just couldn't leave it alone till it was perfect. She'd stare at it and then tweak every ornament and light until it matched the image in her head. She looked at the tree. Her husband looked at her.

She stood in front of the tree, and her body was outlined by its light. Every one of her curves were on display to his ever hungry eyes. She knew he was there. He knew she knew he was there. She slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, and he was caught by the Christmas lights reflected in her eyes.

"Blair." He said in greeting with a small smile, but as always, his simple voicing of her name was so much more.

"Chuck." She responded smiling in return, and the undertones of her every depth flowed over him.

She waited for him, and he was soon in front of her, his hands finding her hips, and pulling her tight to his body. Chuck pressed his forehead to hers for a brief moment, before his lips found hers. Blair's arms had crept up onto his shoulders and her fingers wove into his hair.

"Are they using their tongues?" Ralph's voice broke in.

"I don't think they know how to kiss each other without them." Lenore shrugged with disgust.

"But they're old."

"I keep telling them that..."

Chuck and Blair didn't let go of each other, but sighed and turned towards the judging 12 year olds standing in the entrance.

"Lenore. Ralph." Chuck nodded.

"Merry Christmas Eve Eve!" Their red and white clad daughter declared, clapping her hands happily.

"That's not a real holiday, you know that, right?" Ralph pointed out.

"Oh, my god, really?" She said with wide eyes brimming with fake innocence and real sarcasm. "Next thing you know, you'll tell me that Santa's not real either!"

Before he could come back with a reply, she shoved him, nearly knocking him over, and laughed. "Shut up! It's Christmas!"

She skipped away, leaving Ralph in her wake. Since her parents had finally let a breath of air in between them, she skipped over to them, hugging her father in greeting after having not seen him all day. As Chuck and Blair moved to sit on the couch, Lenore again clapped her hands excitedly.

"Can Ralph and I do it now?!"

Blair nearly spilt the drink she'd just accepted from a maid.

"What?" Lenore asked, confused over the looks her parents were giving her, and at Ralph's snickering.

Chuck raised a brow at the boy and it stopped. While his daughter didn't realized what she had said, Chuck was aware of Ralph's total understanding. Chuck looked over at Blair, but she just rolled her eyes, as if in remembrance of the 12 year old boy humour she'd had to live through in the past.

"Yes, Lenore." Blair said, refocusing the room. "You and Ralph can exchanged gifts now."

Agnes and Ralph were leaving for up state tonight, to spend Christmas with their family as they did every year. It had become tradition, mainly do to exhaustive arguments from their youngest child, for Lenore and Ralph to exchange their gifts just before they left. Both went to the tree, found their gift for the other, and sat in front of it. Chuck rolled his eyes as Blair subtly snapped a picture.

"Here!" She held out her gift to him, which had clearly been professionally wrapped.

"I'd open it but my arm oddly hurts." He said pointedly before he held out his gift to her, which had clearly been wrapped by him. "Here."

Lenore lifted it and then lifted her face to scowl at him. The tag was addressed to, 'Lillian Eleanor'. Ralph just laughed and started to tear into his, and she momentarily let go of her grudge to join him. When the paper was cast aside, both sat back to look at their gifts.

Lenore smiled at the pretty silver and jade hair combs that were settled in tissue paper at the bottom of the box. In fact, she couldn't take her eyes off of them. "They're beautiful."

Ralph hadn't moved, hadn't even looked down to see what he'd gotten. He'd been looking at Lenore the whole time. Suddenly, Lenore jumped up and ran to her mother, showing them off and insisting her mother help her put them in her hair.

"They really are lovely." Blair commented to Ralph as she twirled a heavy dark lock, and then lifted and set the first comb in Lenore's hair, before starting the other side.

Ralph shrugged, and looked down. In the box there was a high end sketch book, as well as the very best set of pencils he'd ever seen. He smiled, his mind already going to what he'd fill the book with.

In another State, in a less than happy home, Harry stood at the window, looking out over New Haven.

"Your car is set to be here at 9am tomorrow morning..." Sarah said tentatively from behind him.

He didn't turn around. It had been one month since a judge had awarded Carter Baizen custody of Fredrick. After looking at the case, the judge had made careful note of Carter having never relinquishing his rights, as well as the plans Carter had made for the boy since finding out about him. Harry, Sarah, and all of his family had testified to the stable and loving home that Fredrick had, and Harry's lawyers had stressed that the couple had been raising the baby for some time. In the end, the judge had apologized, but sided with Carter.

Fredrick was removed from their custody that same day, leaving their home near Yale empty. Now, with it almost Christmas Eve, Harry and Sarah were slated to got their separate ways for the holidays. Him to New York, and her to Chicago.

She walked softly over to him, until she was standing behind him, and placed her hands softly on his shoulders. Her palms tingled from the contact. "Harry..."

Harry's head dropped, and she could feel his shoulders shake. "I miss him..."

"I know." She whispered, and for some unknown reason, leaned in and kissed the centre of his back between his shoulder blades. His shirt was crisp, but the softness of her lips seared both of them. She felt him stiffen, but she didn't move away. "I miss him too."

He turned slowly in her arms and her breath caught as his gaze met hers. It was as if she, and they, were the only ones in the world. As he looked at her, he thought of all the loss, and how it was still them. Him and her.

Neither knew who moved in first, but when their lips found each other's they kissed as if they never wanted to stop, grasped each other as if they never wanted to let go. Their touch grew desperate as their hands sought skin, ripping clothes away. Needing each other. Needing to be closer.

He'd dreamed of kissing her for so long, he gave way to his every impulse, deepening the kiss. Devouring her. She'd been wanting to kiss him for so long she met his kiss greedily. Opening to him with a desperate passion of her own. When he hefted her into his arms, she wrapped herself around him as he carried her through the dark apartment to his bed, their lips never breaking apart.

In Manhattan Bart stood at the bar at the Waldorf Designs holiday party. Several people stood around him, and he forced himself to reply with a smile on his face, hating every second of it, every word he forced passed his lips. However, what he hated even more was watching her right now. Violet had brought a date to the party. A blonde date.

As he watched them, Violet left a table where a group of them had been sitting with drinks, and dragged her date out onto the dance floor. When the couple had first come in, Bart had read him with a glance. Her date was 30 and a driven lawyer. He had divorced parents, and a dog. He worked out five days a week. He drank socially. He'd had surgery for an undescended testicle. Okay, so maybe part was Bart's read and the other part was the info his PI had sent him on his iPhone.

Bart mentally blocked out the older man to focus on Violet.

Since she'd started working at EWDs he'd done everything to portray the image of someone upstanding and professional. Cordial to others. Perfect in every way a CEO should be. Bart had even started to include traits Harry had filled him in on that she liked. He said "Good morning" to people. He'd never been so bored in his life.

And the worst part was it hadn't gotten him any closer to Violet.

An assistant buyer held out a drink to him, and Bart had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Since he was paying for this whole party, getting the boss a drink seemed to be a moot point to him. Yet he nodded at the man with a smile, but mostly because he knew Violet was watching.

Her dress clung to her every curve, and she looked over at him, smirked... and left with her date. Bart's set his drink aside and went home alone.

Harry woke up to the sound of his phone ringing and the morning sun in his eyes. He reached for his phone as he rolled onto his back, and he glanced beside him, registering he was alone a fraction of a second before he realized his wife was the one who was calling him.

"Sarah." His voice croaked with sleep... or the lack of sleep he'd gotten last night.

"Harry..." Her own voice also seemed to edged with their first night together. "I just wanted to tell you-"

"That you're not here? The empty bed was a bit of a tip off..." He didn't like the cold pit that was starting to grow in his gut. "Remember I take my coffee black."

There was a long pause. They both swallowed hard in the silence.

"I'm not coming back."

"So, I guess I'll have to buy my own coffee..." He said dryly, deliberately misunderstanding her. He hoped he was wrong about what his instincts were telling him.

"I'm going to Chicago... and not coming back."

"I see."

"I just... don't see the point in coming back." She rushed out. "We got married to make a family, and so you could kee-"

"I know." He cut her off, not being able to hear his name.

She choked a little, but covered it by pushing on. "So now... there's no reason for us to-"

"What about last night?"

"Last night was..." Sarah searched for the words, and flinched at the ones that came out of her mouth. "Last night was a mistake."

"Sarah-"

"Goodbye, Harry." She cut him off. "I'm sorry."

He listened to the line go dead. Harry slumped back against the headboard and banged his head a couple of times against the hard wood.

"Fuck."

TahDAH! Did I mention I love Christmas? I DO! I really REALLY do! So this was the kick off of a Christmas chapter. They'll be another one soon to follow. Oh, and there's a line from an Athlete song that I've always loved, "I see Christmas lights reflected in your eyes". I pulled that in a bit to this new chapter.

PS-I'll update SUPER fast if Tammy2 aka Mary can name all 10 Canadian provinces and 3 territories... without looking it up!

PPS-Once again, I'm sending a giant hug out to all the Gossip Girl fans! And especially the Chuck and Blair fans!


	74. Chapter 74

Hello! Okay so this chapter very nearly didn't get an AN. It would have been a first for me. There was a lot going on during the writing of this chapter, and I kind of had to push through the writing of this one. I'll try to be... more upbeat for the next one. Fresh start for a fresh year. Here we go...

"One?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the word you've just used." Lenore responded straight faced.

Lily, Eric's and Serena's families, as well as Eleanor and Cyrus had headed back to their homes after their traditional Christmas Eve dinner at the Basses. Blair and Chuck sat on the couch, curled together, their sons in chairs, and their daughter stood by the tree eyeing the gifts. She held one of the presents addressed to her in her hands and looked at her parents. This was the same pattern that happened every Christmas Eve, where Lenore begged to open a single gift that night. It was the one of the few times of year where she was denied. Blair was a staunch believer that gifts were not to be opened until Christmas morning.

Blair just raised a brow at her daughter, knowing what was coming next.

"FINE!" Lenore stomped her foot. "If you're not going to let me open a present, then I'm just going to go to bed. Have fun without me!"

With that she stormed out and up to her room. As she did every year. Chuck and Blair then bid the boys goodnight, and headed out of the room. As they reached the foyer, Chuck caught her to him, and Blair squealed in surprise, but hugged him back as he hugged her flush against him. She looked at him in question, and he raised a brow, and gave a slight nod to the ceiling. She looked up and smiled. Mistletoe. He leaned in and she met him half way, they kissed deeply and then headed upstairs hand in hand.

"I think I'm going to puke." Harry muttered as they watch their parents disappear from the landing.

Bart nodded in agreement, a scowl on his face.

Without a glance and a neutral expression on his face Harry asked his brother. "Want to get drunk?"

The Bass brothers then proceeded to hit Manhattan and hit it hard.

Just after 3am in the Bass Master suite. It's dark and quiet and warm. Blair is wide awake and has cracked three of her knuckles. She looks at Chuck and sighs loudly. Nothing. She repeats her sigh and the adds a little fussing around in the bed. He grunts but doesn't awaken.

"Chuck? Are you asleep?" Blair asks her clearly sleeping husband.

He doesn't stir. She nudges him, and asks again, not giving up.

After a few more minutes of pestering, he shifts slightly and she knows he's awake, yet asks again. "Are you asleep?"

"If you want to have sex, no. If you want to tell me anything else, then yes."

"Ch-uck." She beseeched with a shove to his shoulder.

"The latter can wait till morning, and you need your rest. The former... I can have my pyjamas off in less than 23 seconds."

She couldn't help but smile. "You're getting slow in your old age."

Chuck's eyes popped open, and before she knew it he had her pinned to the bed and was kissing her breathless. She lost herself for a few moments, but then tore her mouth away.

"Chuck, Arthur called, and said he'd picked the boys up from the last club he'd dropped them off at."

"Good to know he still remembers how to do his job." Chuck commented in between the kisses he pressed to her neck.

"Chuck!" She said a little breathlessly, shoving at his shoulders. "He said they were drunk. Both of them."

"Bart doesn't drink." He kissed the tops of her breasts.

"He did tonight."

Chuck raised his head and looked at her. She raised an eyebrow at him. He heaved a disappointed sigh and rolled off her, getting up from the bed, he held a hand out for her and helped her up. A few minutes later, the robe clad couple headed down the stairs just in time to see their sons stumble into the living room.

They walk in to find Harry slouched on the couch, his head lulling back against it, and with glazed eyes. It looks as if he has neither the need or motivation to move, and so doesn't plan on doing it anytime soon.

Bart however is nothing but movement. He's at the wet bar, a freshly mixed drink in his hand, when he spins to take them in.

"Well, well, well... Look who it is!" He points at them. The drink sloshing in his glass. "Our parents!"

Blair and Chuck share a look before gazing back at Bart. Before they can speak, he beats them to it.

"You know it's touching, it really is, how you two are the greatest love story in the Upper East Side."

Chuck cast a sidelong glance at Blair. "I sense this is not meant to be complimentary..."

He offered his wife his hand, she took it and they walked in, to sit on a love seat next to each other. Blair lay her hand on his thigh, palm up, and his hand slid into hers. All of this was natural, and a scene that both brothers had seen a million time.

"See! There!" Bart half snarled as he pointed his empty glass at them.

"I'm sorry?" Blair looked at him curiously.

Bart began to pace and soon he was ranting more to himself than to them.

"My whole life, I grew up watching you two! Even if I could never hear, I could see the love you two have for each other in every look and touch. Even if I could never see, I could hear the love in ever worm you two spoke to each other."

Chuck and Blair turned their heads and their eyes locked as they shared a smile.

"DON'T!" Snarled Bart in disgust and pointed his finger between both of them. "I see what you're doing there! Knock it off! You know what? In fact, no touch for the remainder of this conversation!"

Blair and Chuck both shrugged trying not to smile, and let go of hands. Chuck slouched further down in his chair so he could prop an elbow on the arm rest, and the rest his head in it. Blair sat primly, hands folded in her lap.

Bart paced furiously for a few moments, his parents watching him silently, and his brother shutting his eyes where he lay, turning slightly green at watch the motion.

Bart stopped, looked around, confused. "Where was I?"

"You're mother and I are in love." Chuck reminded him smoothly.

"And we're, apparently, asses."

"Yes, thank you." Bart replied calmly, poured and tossed back another drink, and then continued. "So I know it exists! True love! What you asses neglected to tell us was that... It's almost impossible to find, and even if you do... You may never get to be with that person!"

He started pacing again. "So now, here I am, a CEO! I get up every morning and am in the office by 8am. I wear tight suits and eat salad for lunch! And the talking! Do you have any idea how much I hate talking to people who don't just want to know about what I think of the line, but who want me to actually talk to them about anything and everything? It's ridiculous. And you know what?! The answer is always Canada!"

He marched up to them and glared down at them. "YOU! AND YOU! BOTH OF YOU! YOU PUT THE IDEA OF TRUE LOVE IN OUR HEADS!"

It was about this time that Harry's passed out form slid off the couch like a wet noodle and landed with a thud on the floor. All three conscious Basses cocked their heads to watch him roll onto his stomach grumble something about not getting any coffee, and fall back asleep.

Bart turned back to them, and said, aghast. "Look what you did to him! You guys are like... LOVE FREAKS!"

He stood up straighter, his face was suddenly an odd shade of green. "Now that that's said... If you both would excuse me... I believe I have to go and violently throw up."

With that he sprinted from the room. His parents flinched as they heard their youngest son vomit in what they could tell was nowhere near the hall powder room. They sat there for several moments.

"I can't decide if Bart should drink more, or never drink again." Chuck contemplated his son's reaction to drinking.

"Well, had I known alcohol would get him talking, I would have laced his bottle with vodka when he was a baby."

"He's never going to tell you where he hid your Mother's sapphire earrings..."

And with that they went back to bed, which was a good thing, because their youngest was after her turn to give them a rude awakening.

At just past seven in the morning, (they'd instilled a 'not before 7am' rule after she'd woken them at 4am three years in a row) their bedroom was invaded by a red and while, silk pajamaed whirlwind.

"IT'S PRESENT DAY!" Lenore screamed with her arms in the air, and then launched herself into their bed.

"You know there's another reason for the season, hmmm?" Chuck commented dryly, but with a smile curving his lips.

"Of course." Lenore nodded carefully... and then lost her mind again. "It's also about lights, and Christmas trees, and presents, and decorations, and candy canes, and PRESENTS!"

Lying between her parents she kicked her legs and squealed again. After a couple of Christmas hugs and good wishes, she nagged them out of bed. They put on their robes, and followed her to Harry's room, but found it empty. Chuck and Blair were not surprised, but Lenore raised a brow.

"If he's run away again... Can I have his presents?"

They moved onto Bart's room, and they all just stopped and stared for a moment. Harry was laying face down, and sprawled across his brother's bed. Bart was upside down in his Thinking chair. Neither one of them were even remotely conscious. Lenore fixed that. A half hour later all five Basses were sitting around the dining room table, Lenore chipper, Chuck and Blair smug, and as for the Bass Boys?

Bart threw up twice in a vase that had been a gift to Blair from a French President, and Harry muttered, "I want to die... I want to die..." over and over again, as his head threatened to explode.

"Don't. It would really put a damper on my Christmas." Lenore warned Harry.

The boys breathed a sigh of relief as breakfast came to an end and they headed into the living room to sit near the massive tree that was flooded with presents. The hurting brothers were just about to fall down, when their Mother stopped them.

"I believe you're forgetting something..." Blair smirked as she nodded towards the piano.

"Noooo..." Harry begged, while Bart shook his head as vigorously as he could without throwing up again.

"It's tradition..." Blair's eyes sparkled.

"Well, we'd ask Bart to play, but..."

"He sucks." Grumbled Harry, having vivid memories of Bart sitting at the piano and torturing the instrument and their childhood piano teacher. "I think Mr. Parks went into early retirement after your third lesson."

Harry lowered himself onto the piano's bench, and braced himself. He thought about the torture he was about to experience. He thought he could make it through the piano playing, but it was the other factor that was so much worse.

Lenore beamed as she came to stand beside the piano to, as was tradition, sing a Christmas carol before they started opening their presents. Unfortunately for the boys, Lenore was tone deaf and was seemingly unaware of how to be anything other than pitchy.

"How about O Holy Night this year, hmm?" Chuck suggested with a smile.

"Oh, god. That's her worst one." Harry whimpered, and Bart looked like he was going to cry.

Lenore proceeded to shatter glass and eardrums as she belted out her song, and when she was done her parents applauded louder than they ever had before. Her brothers managed a few claps.

"You hit a lot of sharp notes." Lenore reprimanded as they took their seats on the couch.

"So did you..." He grumbled under his breath, finally being able to sink into the cushions.

"What was that?" She shot him a sharp look.

"Nothing."

With that the Basses settled into a more sedate morning of opening/tearing into all they gifts bough by and for each other, until each had one gift left among the Christmas carnage. Chuck and Blair always saved their last gift to open when their children weren't around, and their children thanked them for this.

"Lenore, open yours."

"What happened to 'save the best for last'?" Which was kind of a motto for the youngest child, and also how gifts usually went.

Her parents just looked at her, and so she tore into her last gift. And screamed.

"IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!" Tears ran down her face as she lifted her first personal credit card out of the box and hugged it to her chest.

Blair smiled at her reaction, remembering her first credit card as well. "No go upstairs and pick the perfect outfit... for your first shopping trip with your own card. Bergdorf's is waiting for you... and only you."

Lenore squealed again, knowing that the store was closed Christmas day, and that this made the present all the sweeter. She ran off, practically leaving a cloud in her wake.

"Harry." Chuck indicated his eldest son should go next.

Harry opened it up, looked inside, and then up at them. "Really?"

"Yes. Chicago is waiting." Blair smiled.

Harry hugged his parents and then went to leave, but paused, squeezing his brother's shoulder. "It's been nice knowing you."

Bart scowled at his brother, but said nothing. Alone the three of them sat for long moments.

"Well... Look who's back to being the silent type..."

Bart said nothing, but looked at them with giant eyes.

"I take it someone remembers what he said to his loving and always wonderful parents?"

He looked at them with pleading eyes. They were in a forgiving mood.

"Why don't we start?" Blair chirped.

"First off, yes. Your father and I are, by far, the best couple on the Upper East Side. Past, present, and future." She told him, before looking over at Chuck and sharing a smug smile. The Basses had marriage down, and everyone knew it.

Bart looked at them as if to ask, 'is this supposed to make me feel better?'

Blair kept going. "While we're prefect, there were a few... bumps in the road early on, but our foundation has always been true, deep love."

Chuck gave a firm nod.

"Love is a very important thing." Blair drilled for emphasis. "But so in acceptance."

"I know, I'm perfect." She ignored Chuck rolling his eyes. "But your father..."

She smiled at Chuck to hint at her teasing. "All our edges... all our quirks... all the good and all the bad... we not only accepted it... but also... They're part of the reason we love each other. All those things... aren't flaws. They're part of the reasons _why_ we love each other."

"What we're trying to say..." Chuck spoke slowly. "Is that... we see you trying to change... Change for Violet."

Blair nodded as Bart shook his head.

"Bart, your clothes... Your hair... You're... talking." Blair listed off. "And maybe if you seemed happy, but-"

"You look miserable."

"If you keep having to change for Violet... maybe she's not the one for you." Blair said carefully.

Bart looked away.

"Open your gift." Blair said softly.

He did, and nodded, before he stood up. Almost walking away, the stopped and looked over his shoulder at them. "Thank you."

Harry stepped out of the limo, and flinched as snow slipped past his pant cuffs. At first it was the shock of the cold, but it soon turned to wetness as the snow melted against his skin. His eyes also took a moment to adjust to the sun on the snow that coated the expanse of the cemetery, broken only by the headstones, and smattering of trees. He followed the lone set of footsteps in the fresh powder.

He found her sitting on the bench next to the graves of her brother and first love.

"Sarah..."

She turned slowly and looked at him. Her cheeks were ruddy from the cold, and her lips were also chapped. She was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She said nothing, but dusted off a spot beside her on the bench. He sat beside her. Neither looked at each other.

"I just wanted to say... I love you. I have for... a long time now." He said softly.

Her eyes shot to him.

"I know we've both... been through a lot, and will go through a lot more, I'm sure." He looked at her. "But I know... I want to go through it with you."

She started crying, but she was smiling too, so he took that as a good sign.

"Sarah, would you do me the honour... of please staying married to me." He asked with a smile.

"Yes." She choked. "Yes!"

She through herself into his arms, and he hugged her tightly back. "I was going to miss you forever." She whispered against his cold cheek. She pulled back and kissed him deeply for several minutes, finally pulling back to look him in the eyes. "I love you, too."

TahDAH! Okay, I could NOT remember which Bass brother I had play the piano. I want to thank all the wonderful readers on twitter who tried to help me out. And a giant thank you to Ellen for actually going through ITY to find the small reference and tell me the answer. I tried, but I fell asleep. THANK YOU ELLEN!

Happy New Year to everyone! May this coming year be better than the last!


	75. Chapter 75

Hello! Okay, so do you all have the flu? Almost everyone I know does. All over the news here in Toronto, it's like, "STAY AWAY FROM EACH OTHER!". Thank you, public health and Canadian media, that makes me feel really secure. I literally have not been this/that sick in years. One day, while fairly delusional with illness... I may have take too many throat lozenges too close together. I suddenly couldn't swallow. I could still breath, and talk, but couldn't swallow. So I called telehealth. They were... very concerned. Which led to me and two VERY cute paramedics heading to the hospital in the middle of the night. So, just to recap, when the package says "1 every 2 hours" follow that. The worst? While I was waiting in emerge, they made me wear a mask... and I massively sneezed while wearing it. It was one of the grossest things I've done in public in quite a while. Maybe don't visualize what was going on under my mask. Anyhoo... Here we go...

Violet checked her image in the glass of the door to her office. Ten minutes ago she'd gotten a message that the CEO was expecting her new sketches within the next half hour. She wasn't worried, since she'd finished them last night, but still she knew she'd make him wait.

Her pencil skirt touched her knees. She wore a slip, a blouse and a buttoned jacket. Her legs were glad in thick tights, and her shoes covered her from toe to ankle. She was wearing more clothes than she had in years, and didn't even care that it wasn't fully in style. It drove him crazy, and that was more than enough.

Again she thought of the way he looked at her when she wore layer upon layer of clothing. Like he was imagining striping every item from her body. Like there was nothing on earth he'd rather do then worship her. She flushed at the thought.

She hadn't seen him in three weeks. First she'd been away at Christmas in London, and since then she'd had no reason to go to his office, so she didn't, knowing that he would find a reason for her to be there. Only he hadn't. Until today.

Violet left her office her dark curls bouncing as she walked to his. As was her habit, she wiped the look of anticipation off her face when she was almost there, replacing it with a look of pained disdain. The chair was, as usual spun away from her.

"Bar-" She started to greet coolly, but broke off when she saw the chair spin around to reveal that it didn't hold who she was expecting.

"Blair." Violet shifted, her smile now bright but uneasy.

Blair looked down her nose at Violet with a glare so cold the younger woman wished she were actually wearing more layers.

"Violet." She was icily addressed. "While we know each other socially, I feel it would be best, in this professional environment, if you addressed me as Mrs. Bass."

Violet swallowed hard. "Of course, Bla-Mrs. Bass."

"Are those your designs?"

"Uh huh..." Violet was still a little dumfounded. as

Blair snapped her fingers twice, and open and shut her hand repeated until Violet quickly handed it to her. Long moments of awkward silence passed as Blair quickly flipped through the pages, never hovering over any drawing, eyes quickly skimming and moving to the next.

Slamming the last one down, Blair finally looked at Violet again. Violet thought she might have wet herself just a little bit.

"These won't do."

She opened her mouth to start explaining her vision, but Blair cut her off.

"You were designing to my son. I want you designing to Waldorf Designs clients. I expect a new set of sketches by Wednesday." Blair tossed the drawings towards the end of the desk, and Violet gathered them into her arms with vague nods of her head. The sweat that had broken out on her scalp was now starting to run down her neck. She stood up, holding her designs, and staring at Blair.

After several moments where Violet continued to stand there, jaw agape, Blair looked at her pointedly. "That will be all."

Violet turned to leave, stumbling slightly on her second step, but stopped, turning back towards Blair.

"Uh..."

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering..."

"Clearly. Go on."

"I was just wondering where Bart is?"

"Bart is on extended leave, so I'll be filling in during the interim." Blair said with no emotion as she scanned items on her iPad.

Violet opened her mouth to ask more questions, but the vibe coming off of Blair had her hurrying from the room. She passed her co-workers, trying to regain the air of superiority she favoured at work, but she was having a hard time keeping it up. She got to her office and quickly grabbed her phone, as she flopped into her desk chair.

She heard him say hello, but didn't bother with a greeting.

"Where is your brother, and why is your mom heading Waldorf Designs at the moment?"

"Do you know what time it is in Thailand right now?"

"Half-past... I don't really care."

She hear murmuring in the background and she smiled. "Enjoying you sex-cation?"

She heard the distinctive sound of kissing coming across the line and rolled her eyes. "You're not going to have sex while you're on the phone with me, are you? I don't think our friendship is that strong."

She could hear the russell of bedding and assumed he was moving into another room. "Is that jealousy I hear? How long has it been? A while, right? Not since you tapped my little brother?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She looked at the ceiling. "So? Why's your mom here?"

"You know, there's this little thing called 'work place gossip', should I lie and say I'm surprised you haven't heard? Oh, that's right, you hate people." Harry commented with amusement as he sat down on the couch in his suite.

"I do not hate people." She said carefully.

"Ah, that's right. Just the people you work with." He lay his head back against the couch and shut his eyes. He was rather exhausted after a week away with Sarah. He wasn't sure why they'd gone away. They hadn't left their hotel. "You judge their taste."

"They have no taste."

"You deflowered my brother. Neither do you."

"One, we agreed never to talk about that, and two, would you stop saying 'deflowered'. It's creepy."

"So is sleeping with my little brother."

"I told you. It shouldn't have happened."

"You two made it happen. The problem is he fell in love with you, and for you it was just sex."

She was quiet on the other side of the world.

"It was just sex, wasn't it?" He cocked an ear to carefully listen to her response.

"Of course." She finally spoke. "I told you that's all it was for me."

"True." He said, believing her about as much as he had the first time he'd heard her say it. Harry opened his eyes as he heard the bedroom door click, turning his head to smile at Sarah as she joined him on the couch.

"I can't help it if it was different for him..."

"Hmmm..." He said noncommittally. Sarah had slid onto his lap and he was finding it harder and harder to concentrate. "In that case, my parents gave him a cabin in British Columbia, and my mom's taken over till he gets back from checking the place out."

"So he's on vacation?"

"Violet?" Harry managed to say as Sarah kissed a line up his neck to suck his earlobe between her lips.

"Yes, Harry?"

"I'm going to hang up on you now."

"You suck."

"Not this time. It's her turn."

Violet shook her head as the call ended, but smiled, glad that things were working out for Harry. She moved to her design table and set out fresh materials. Pushing a certain Bass from her mind, she started to draw.

Chuck sat on the couch with the reporter, and smoothly answered her questions, focusing on her, and not the camera operator who sat a few short feet away, filming the interview. Through the course of the whole thing, the woman's professionalism began to slip further and further. She inched closer. She leaned in. Smiled. She would have touched his arm, but the look he gave her had her hands back in her lap.

"One last question, Mr. Bass?"

"Of course, Mary."

She smiled, flustered under his gaze. "Umm... Well, this is of a more personal nature. It's well known that you have one of the most successful marriages in New York. What's your secret?" She smiled widely.

"The."

"Pardon?"

"I have the best marriage in New York." He looked up and saw his wife standing in the doorway, and he smiled. "And the secret is... Marry the right woman. And there is no one more right for me than my wife."

He nodded dismissively at them, and then stood, moving towards her with the smile he used only for her. She smiled back for the second before his lips found hers. They weren't sure when the reporters left, but they were very aware of when Dan Humphrey arrived.

"I need a word with you two."

"Oh, goody." Blair said dryly.

Chuck and Blair led Dan into their now empty living room and took a seat, Chuck indicating to Dan that he was welcome to take one as well. The other man didn't take the seat and instead started pacing the floor in front of them.

"Humphrey... how long is this going to take? There are more... productive things we'd rather be doing with out time. Namely each other."

"Did you guys not get the memo? You're not teenagers anymore."

"You make me sad for you, Humphrey." Blair commented.

"I'd have to care to be sad..." Chuck added in.

They could tell Dan was about to launch into an unrelated rant, and so they tried to focus him.

"You point of being here, Daniel?"

Dan took a deep, breath, trying to remember. "Right."

He began pacing again. "You know, I don't judge your parenting."

Chuck and Blair raised eyebrows at him.

"Okay, okay, I do!" He stopped to point at them. "But this time it's gone to far!"

"I should have poured a drink before this." Chuck said tiredly.

"You'd think we'd know better..."

"Pay attention." Dan urged.

"Get to the point." Chuck emphasized.

"It's come to my attention that you gave Lenore a credit card for Christ-"

"Her first." Blair smiled at her daughter's milestone.

"Which is ridiculous, given that she's 12 years old, but whatever. She's your kid. So, I guess that's your call."

"How generous of you."

"However, my daughter, and how she is raised, is my call."

"Doesn't she have a mother? Stunning. Tall. Wears her hair slightly to long for her age."

Dan eyed Blair. "While you feel your daughter is old enough for a credit card. I do not feel it's appropriate for mine. Serena and I understand each other on this."

"Or you though she did." Blair smirked.

Dan ignored her. "Lenore and Chloe have been going out shopping together, and Lenore has been buying Chloe everything under the sun."

"You say that like it's a bad thing..."

"It is! Chloe needs to learn the value of money!"

"I don't think this is what you're mad at."

"This is exactly what I'm mad at."

"Really? Because I think there's more, so why don't you just cut to the chase?"

"Chloe is my daughter, and I don't want her growing up thinking she has no limits."

"She doesn't have any limits." Blair rolled her eyes. "But since you're not saying it, I will. You're not Chloe's only parent."

"I know. And believe me, I know that Serena has been going behind my back and paying Lenore back for everything Chloe buys on her cousin's credit card."

"So, really, are you mad at us, or are you mad as Serena."

"You two. Always, you two." He said with less fire and more resignation. He threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. I need to talk to Serena."

The Basses said nothing, just stared at him, and he walked out, muttering to himself as he went.

For long minutes Chuck and Blair sat in silence.

"You know what I wonder?"

"That if we're paying Lenore's credit card bill, and Serena is paying Lenore back for all of Chloe's purchases... What is Lenore doing with the excess?" Chuck nailed Blair's question in one go.

"This is going to keep me up tonight." Blair sighed, trying to get into her daughter's mindset. "Is she home?"

Chuck shook his head. "She out with Chloe..." He smirked. "Shopping."

Blair smiled back. Her eyes then went warm. Beckoning. "So... We're home... all alone..."

Chuck's body instantly hardened. "We are."

His arms snaked around her and pulled her into his lap, as his lips found hers. She pulled her mouth away, and he pouted, but she just smiled as she pulled him closer.

She pressed soft kisses to his forehead. His cheeks. His lips. With her face close to his she whispered against his lips. "I married the right man too. There's no one more right for me than my husband."

He smiled back. "I love you, Blair."

She would have answered him in turn, but he swiftly lay her back on the sofa and blanketed her body with his, cutting off all words and thoughts for the next hour. She got to say them though. As she thrashed underneath him, Blair screamed her love. Blair Waldorf loved Chuck Bass.

TahDAH! Okay, so there is the chapter I FINALLY finished after being sick. I also have been waking up feeling... Like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I think part of that is that I haven't been writing enough lately... and that I haven't won the lottery yet. Both of these things, I think. I'm going to be trying to write more. Both in fic and in my personal writing. Hopefully that will pay off.

Oh, and I just wanted to thank everyone who left a review. It felt really nice... plus I've been a giant baby for the last few weeks, so the reviews had me extra emotional? ha. My impression of Blair doing an impression of Sally Field? You like me, you really like me!


	76. Chapter 76

Hello! Wow. I opened the next chapter of ITY a while ago, and then left it so long it locked. Oopsies. I have tragic news... I apparently have the early stages of carpal tunnel. The doctor was like, are you on the computer a lot, and I was like, "Well...". Then she asked if I had a lap top, and I went, "Ummm...". And finally she asked how I sleep. On my side curled in a ball with my hands up by my face. I apparently hit the cluster for CT. ha. My favourite part was when she asked if my hands were arched in when I slept like that, and I was like, "NooOoOoOoooo..." I literally woke up that night and my hands were pretzeled in on themselves. I will try to change my ways. Here we go...

Blair got to the restaurant, and breezed up to the hostess, who barely paused before leading one of the most well known women in New York to her table under the envious eyes of the dozens of people waiting in the front and by the bar. Blair Bass didn't know what a line was. She knew Chuck wasn't there yet, because as usual they texted each other throughout the day, and so she knew he was about ten minutes out. Serena was working on a new production, but could be expected to be on time. Blair, of course, was fifteen minutes early.

She got to the table, and smiled at Nate, who stood when he saw her, and kissed her cheek.

"Blair." He greeted as he held her chair out for her.

"Nate." She smiled back as she sat down.

He took his own seat again, and looked at her with a near gleeful grin.

"What?" She raised a brow at him. "Did you find a new hair growth product that will reverse what time is chasing away from your forehead?"

He looked affronted... and concerned. "I'm not losing my hair."

"Please." Blair rolled her eyes.

It was true. While still a very handsome man, his hair had begun to receded a few years ago, and lately there cold be no deny or hiding the fact that Nate was losing his hair.

"Don't worry, Archibald, you'll always be the prettiest pony at the party." Blair teased dryly.

He chuckled at that, and then went back to what his point really was. "I was going to say, before you wrongly attacked my hair, that... did you notice? I was here first."

Blair snickered into her water glass. "Of course you were. We told you dinner at 8, but the rest of us set it for 8:30, hence your semblance of being on time, and our lack of waiting on you."

Again he looked hurt for a moment, but then laughed at the truth of it. He really did run late much of the time. Blair smiled because Nate was still the most jovial and laid back of their group.

"Fair enough." He smiled. "Tell me how what my nephews and niece are up to. World domination, or is that just Lenore?"

Nate and Blair fell into the easy conversation that old friends have. They talked of kids, work, their families, and friends from long ago. They didn't notice that Serena had arrived, and had been standing near the bar for several minutes, watching them. On his way in, Chuck spotted her, and stopped at her side.

"What are we looking for? Your next husband? I say take the search international. Branch out."

Serena laughed but pointed over at the table Nate and Blair were at. "Nope. I'm looking at a sliding door."

"What do you mean?" Chuck asked, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Just his wife and his best friend talking across the table to each other.

Serena glanced over at Chuck, and then back at their friends. "Just imagine if things had turned out differently. We could have been meeting the Archibald's for dinner tonight."

Chuck scowled. That sounded exactly like the worst thing in the world to him.

"Don't worry." Serena nudged him teasingly. "They'd be miserable. Nate would be sleeping with his secretary and Blair would be having an affair with... well, with you."

She thought that would cheer him up, get a chuckle out of him, but it didn't. If anything he grew more pensive.

"What's up, Buttercup?" She asked her brother.

His eyes narrowed as they slid to her and he gave a loaded look. It hit Serena why Chuck was all things pensive. Chuck loved his wife, his children, his life. He hated even pretending that life had turned out differently.

Serena threw her arms around her brother. "Don't worry, Chuckie! I left my magic wand at home. They broke up just the way nature intended!"

"I don't like you." He grumbled as he fought to get out of her grip.

This only made her laugh. "You're right. You don't like me... You LOVE me!"

Serena couldn't help but smile as she and her brother reached the table. She saw Blair look up, both Serena and Chuck saw Blair's eyes light up, the way they did every time she saw her husband, even after all these years. Serena didn't even have to look at Chuck to know his eyes had done the same. You'd think they were still 17 and newly in love.

Chuck went to his wife's side and leaned down to kiss her in greeting. Blair, at first, offered him her cheek, because they were in public and that was their regular greeting when they had a peasant audience, but tonight was different. Chuck reached out to gently caress her jaw, urging her lips to his. He kissed her, long and lingering, and by the time he pulled away, Blair was flushed and a little breathless. Chuck moved his seat a little closer to her's as he sat down at the table. She looked at him with slight quirk to her brow in question, but he just took her hand in his, kissing her fingers before returning her hand to the table. He didn't let go.

"Someone's getting laid in the limo tonight..." Nate chuckled as he lifted his menu.

"Since I was going to catch a ride back with them to pick up Chloe... I really hope it's not Blair and Chuck." Serena giggled.

The couple in question didn't hear them. They were to busy sharing loaded looks that only they understood.

This meeting of the NJBC was now in session.

Back at the Waldorf home, the three of them sat in her family's media room, curled up on a plush couch. Chloe was squealing and bouncing with disgusted glee at each rabid, vicious attack. Ralph sat still, unaffected by what they were watching, not even fully interested since he'd watched it before and knew the stories, he was totally caught up with watching her. Lenore sat between her friends, still as a statue. As he watched her, she kept her face a blank mask, her eyes locked on the screen, never even flinching. The most Ralph got at one point was her eyes widening a tiny bit and her mouth falling ever so slightly open. He didn't need to look at the screen to know what had just happened, because Chloe was screaming, "Oh, my god! He just left Otis as bate!"

A slow smile spread across Ralph's face as he watched Lenore watch Otis get consumed, and she swallowed carefully. He leaned in. "You know... If you're scared, Lillian Eleanor... We can stop at any time... Just turn the show off, and watch like... Twilight?"

Her eyes shot to his, narrowing with fire.

"I do not want to watch Twilight." She bit out with pure derision.

"My bad!" Ralph held up his hands in surrender as he leaned back against the couch. "Divergent."

"And I'm not afraid." She declared snootily.

"You're not?"

"I watched your stupid, unrealistic show, didn't I?" She bragged, because she had.

"You're right. You did watch it. But is it really that stupid or unrealistic?"

"It's about zombies." She replied as if it were all so far beneath her.

"That it is... but who's to say it won't happen? I can see why you'd not want to think it was realistic. It's not like you'd survive..."

She pulled herself quickly up onto her knees, giving her the leverage to look down at him. They were all 12, but both Ralph and Chloe had a few inches on Lenore.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded.

"Would you two stop fighting. I'm trying to watch people get eaten alive." Chloe joked from the far end of the couch.

Ralph ignored Chloe. "It means... I just don't see you surviving... Unless your Mommy and Daddy fly you out to a secret island free of Walkers... Which come to think of it is probably a plan your parents really do have in place." He mused, realizing it was something the Basses would do. "If that's the case, can I come?"

She waved his question away, latching on to a previous point. "What makes you think I couldn't survive on my own?"

He rolled his eyes as he laughed at her. "Last week you made me carry you from Serendipity to your limo, because it was raining and your shoes were suede."

"I had to hold the umbrella." Chloe added in with a nod.

"Those were my mother's shoes. That she didn't know I had 'borrowed'." Lenore shuddered. "If those shoes had gotten wet, I would have had more to fear than the un-dead."

Her friends laughed, both at the image and the memory of Lenore taking the shoes that she loved, even though they were sizes too big, and wearing them to lunch while her mother was at work. Ralph had to hand it to her. Lenore could live dangerously.

"And let's get one thing straight." Her voice was like ice as she leaned in. "No matter what... I'll survive."

"And why, pray tell, is that?" Ralph smirked at her, actually dying to hear her answer.

"I'm Lenore Bass."

"Did anyone else just get chills?" Chloe piped in. "Or was it just me?"

Late, late, late that night, Lenore lay in her bed. Her bathroom light was on, so she could see around the room, but she wasn't turning on her bedroom light. Ralph's stupid show said that light attracted them. She shut her eyes, but there was no way she was putting on her sleep mask tonight. She lasted another ten minutes before she ran down the hall, and was knocking rapidly at her parent's door.

"Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!"

Chuck woke first, and called for Lenore to come in just as Blair was stirring.

"Lenore, what's wrong...?" Chuck asked, sitting up.

"I was just checking on you two..." His daughter was cagy.

Before Chuck could say anything else, Blair mumbled beside him. "Did you have a bad dream? Do you want to sleep with us, sweetie?"

Before Chuck could react, Lenore had shuffled across the room, and launched herself into bed and between her parents. Curling onto her side, Lenore put her had on her mother's shoulder and fell fast asleep.

"I'm going to have a word with Ralph about that show... or have AMC shut the whole thing down." Chuck muttered as he lay back into bed, separated from his wife now by their daughter. They'd been sleeping, but Chuck liked Blair close to him.

Blair smiled sleepily as she gently stroked Lenore's hair. "Don't."

Their eyes met over Lenore's sleeping head.

"She's our last baby." Blair said with a forlorn, yet happy at the same time smile. "She's already not a little girl anymore. She's a girl, and sooner that we'd like, she'll be a young woman. And she'll never run down the hall or want to crawl into bed with us."

Chuck smiled back and relaxed into the bed. It was true. They'd had children climbing into bed with them for almost as long as he could remember. Those days were numbered now, and she was right. They had to enjoy them. Chuck leaned over and kissed his daughter's head.

The Basses were just about to follow her into sleep when they heard a noise in the hall. They did have a couple of staff who had access to their home, but the upstairs, when then Basses were home, was always off limits. Chuck sat up quickly and held a finger to his lips when Blair went to speak. He climbed out of bed, and quietly walked to the door. He jumped when Blair suddenly plastered herself to his back. He shot her a look that said she should wait back by the bed. She gave him a look that told him she thought he was crazy.

As Chuck moved to carefully open the door, Blair whispered in his ear. "I swear to God, Chuck, if you get eaten by a zombie I'll never forgive you."

"Maybe you shouldn't be watching that show as well..." Chuck hissed back with a roll of his eyes.

As they stepped out into the hallway, Chuck turned on a light. There stood the culprit. Not ready to devour their flesh, but eating a cheese sandwich.

"Bart!"

TahDAH! Bart is back. This should make Mary happy. Okay so this week was Chair week and I suck. It was actually kind of busy for me, and I didn't get anything I wanted to written for the week. However, I did get a couple of ideas from the prompts... and when looking at the prompts I noticed I write a lot of them regularly anyway. So while I'll be late... I will be most likely putting out a couple of belated Chair Week pieces at some point.

I'll have to do it this coming week, because my mom is coming to visit me! SO excited! I haven't seen her since Christmas! She'll stay with me about a week, so I'll want to spend my time with her rather than doing a lot of writing. Forgive her. She's super adorable.


	77. Chapter 77

Hello! Okay, so I was in this place... and this woman was talking and her hands were waving... and I realized... She had Blair Waldorf thumbs! And you know... sometimes, it just might not be right to yell that out in a room. Oh, and how sad am I? The other day JustJared said referenced the finale of GG was "last month", and I almost cried, "NO! Over TWO months!" Sigh. I miss GG. Here we go...

Harry and Sarah rode up in the elevator hand in hand. Sarah leaned against her husband's side, laying her head against his shoulder. Their flight had gotten in late yesterday night, but they'd still been expected to be at Bass family brunch promptly.

"Can you explain to me why we're here so early?" Sarah asked with a yawn as they stepped into the foyer.

"Because my parents invited you for brunch." A know-it-all voice said from the stairs.

The couple turned an spotted the girl looking down at them as she descended the stairs. Sarah immediately felt underdressed.

"Lenore." Harry smiled and walked over to hug his sister, who tried to dodge him, but was dragged into a hug anyway. "Just give in."

It was a game, and she played it, because she really did love her brother. To mock him, after he finally ended the never ending hug, she opened her arms up to hug Sarah willingly. She stuck her tongue out at Harry over his wife's shoulder. She didn't tell him this, but she thought the smartest thing Harry had ever done was working things out with Sarah.

When they'd pulled away, Harry eyed his sister.

"What?" She asked defensively, and touched her perfect dark locks. "Is it my hair?"

"You know something." His eyes narrowed and his lips hinted at a smile.

"I know lots of things..." She bragged with the bravado of a 12 year old with a massive fortune behind her.

"We know Bart is home." Harry said, thinking to cut off her smirk. It didn't work. It got bigger.

"Oh, yes... But did you know-"

"Harry! Sarah!"

They were interrupted by Chuck and Blair coming down the stairs. Greetings were exchanged and they all headed into the dining room where breakfast was set out. Harry noticed that there was an extra place set at the table, and his first thought was to wonder if Violet was joining them, that maybe the idiots had pulled it together.

Before he could say anything, Bart walked into the room. His corporate look was gone, and he was back to his usual grooming. Freshly showered, smelling of soap, and in an outfit that, while expensive and well made, looked like he'd blindly grabbed items from his closet and thrown them on. He didn't say anything, but nodded to his family.

They smiled. Their Bart was back.

Bart moved to take his seat, pausing to hug Harry and kiss Sarah's cheek. Bart settled into his chair, taking his napkin and spreading it across his lap.

"So... Did you come back from Canada with an imaginary friend?" Harry asked with a nod to the empty place beside Bart, as he popped a blackberry into his mouth.

Bart shook his head, and glanced over to the entrance.

"No." Chuck said dryly. "He came back with an actual Canadian."

Just then a young woman appeared in the doorway, a radiant smile on her face. "Good morning! I'm sorry, am I late?"

She had a bounce in her step, as she skipped to the table, her pin straight, flat ironed, blonde hair, swishing through the air as she went. She sat down next to Bart and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"New people!" Her giant blue eyes sparkled as they landed on Harry and Sarah.

"We're 'new people'?" Sarah raised a brow as she glanced at her husband. "I've put in my time... signed up for life."

"I could have sworn my name ended in Bass... I do look like my parents..." He teased quietly.

She giggled and it sounded like bells. "No, sillies! New to me!"

She held out a hand that was tipped with French manicured nails, and shook both Harry and Sarah's hands.

"I'm Molly, and you must be Harry and Sarah!" She smiled with a mouth of perfectly white teeth.

Harry opened his mouth, but when he couldn't think of anything to say, he shut it again. He did send his sister a squinty glare as he saw her put her phone away after having recorded this past moment.

"It's nice to meet you..." Sarah managed.

Breakfast passed with Molly keeping up a steady stream of conversation, she spoke more than the Basses did, but she wasn't completely unpleasant. She had been born in Grande Prairie, Alberta (the Basses didn't even pretend to know where that was), and she'd moved to Vancouver for university. They then had to listen to a very long story about how she and Bart met, that could have been summed up with, "They met in a bar."

After about an hour, Molly excused both herself and Bart, saying he'd promised to take her sightseeing. No one spoke until they heard the ping of the elevator, signaling the couple had left.

"You had to know he'd bring home a Canadian eventually..." Sarah tried to break the silence.

"It really was just a matter of time." Harry agreed.

"I don't get why we keep letting Canadians in here period." Lenore frowned. "They just keep sneaking across the boarder. They're everywhere..."

"Ryan Reynolds..." Blair named a Canadian.

"Your Aunt Serena really has it bad for him." Chuck commented.

"Ryan Gosling..." Blair added with a distant smile... which she tabled at the sight of her husband's jealous scowl.

"The hot guy from Arrow." Sarah drifted a little herself.

"Technically That's filmed in Canada, so he's not sneaking into the States." Harry said tightly and kicked his wife under the table.

"If you had asked me at 16, if I'd ever talk this much about Canada in my life, I'd have told you you were crazy..." Chuck mused.

Blair couldn't help but smile. "The things we do as parents..."

"I had hoped that parenthood would have brought calmer days as the children aged. Or at least that they'd grow out of a few of their... quirks. I could have lived without this."

"No, you couldn't. Our children are odd. You know you can't wait to see what they'll do next."

"You know two of your children are sitting right here, right?" A disgruntled Harry pointed out.

"And can hear you." A perturbed Lenore added.

"We know." Blair chirped. "We just don't care."

Sarah chose this moment to carefully clear her throat and send a pointed look at her husband.

Harry rolled his eyes, and sat back in his chair, throwing an arm over the back of Sarah's. "Sarah, thought we should ask if it was alright if we moved in while we're looking for our own place in the city... but I'm just going to tell you our things will be here in an hour."

"Harry..." Sarah groaned.

Chuck and Blair shared a look, but it was more to catch each other's agreement. One, it was Harry's home. He could always come back. Two, it had been a while since all of their children had lived with them under one roof. Blair got misty. Chuck may have had to clear his throat. Of course there was another reaction at the table...

"Hold up." Lenore frowned. "So... Harry and Sarah are moving back in. And Bart seems to be importing his little side serving of Maple Syrup... Are you _kidding_ me?"

"Problem, sweetpea?" Harry teased, loving that this bothered her. He'd suspected Ms. Lenore rather enjoyed having the house and her parents to herself most of the time. Her reaction was confirming this.

"This is North America. Follow a cultural norm. You grew up. You moved out. You're supposed to stay out." She told him sharply.

"You still live at home..." Sarah shrugged, joining in with her husband.

"I'm 12." Lenore bit out.

"At least I can promise not to sleep in Mother and Dad's bed..." Harry drifted, knowing his little sister still crawled in with their parents sometime.

"You would if they let you." She smirked back.

"Point ceded." And he ignored the look his wife sent him. He had millions of memories of crawling into bed with his parents. He even had a very foggy one of going into his parent's room, and thinking of his Dad as Chuck, instead of Dad. Regardless, he always felt safe. Loved. Who was he kidding? There were times when he felt like he'd lost Sarah and when he had lost Fredrick, where he did wish for nothing more that to climb into bed and sleep between his parents again.

Blair got up to leave, with Chuck standing to follow her, and kissed both Harry and Sarah on the cheek. "Welcome home."

With their parents gone, Harry made note that his sister had perked up remarkably.

"What?" He asked with a suspicious raised brow.

Lenore stood up, straightened her clothes, and came around the table to stand in front of him.

"She's scaring me..." Harry whispered an aside to his wife.

"Name your price." Lenore said bluntly.

Harry grinned wildly, catching on, his wife was a little behind, but the both jumped when Lenore slammed her small hands onto her brother's shoulders and shoved her face nearly into his.

"PLEASE LET ME BE THE ONE TO TELL VIOLET!" She begged in a bellow.

"Sure." He nodded. "It will only cost you a quarter of the funds in your offshore account."

Lenore leaned back and smirked at him. "I'll cut you a check."

She then left, presumably to get her check book, and Harry grabbed Sarah's arm, and started hauling her out of the room and towards the elevator.

"What are you doing?" She panted as he grabbed their coats from a maid, and harried them both onto the elevator.

"Getting to Violet before Lenore does. I love my sister, but she loves to stage a massacre..."

"You don't say..." Sarah rolled her eyes. He seemed to be blind to family traits.

"Violet will owe me. We'd probably be able to buy our own building with my sister's check."

"She has an offshore account?"

"Probably several." Harry commented with pride as the doors slid shut. "Mother and Dad might even know about half of them."

Forty minutes later, Violet sauntered into the cafe and was greeted by impatient expressions from her best friend and his wife.

"What?" She raised a brow defensively as she sat down. "You called me for lunch like a half hour ago-rude much? A little notice to make me think you cared would be nice- And expected me to drop everything and be here in five minutes? This-" She waved her hand over her perfect outfit, hair, and makeup. "takes a little work."

"Violet, there's something we need to-"

"Oh, god. Are you pregnant?" Violet drawled to Sarah and then cleared her throat to change to an excited tone. "I mean... Are you pregnant?!"

"No." Sarah said dryly. "But it's good to know where you stand."

Violet laughed and waved her off. Her best friend was back in the city, and she already had to share him with Sarah and his family, the last thing she wanted was a baby eating up more of his time. She didn't pause to think about what this said about the sad state of her own personal life.

"Violet-" Harry started to try again.

"There they are!" Molly's voice twinkled from the entrance and across the whole cafe. "Hello!"

Harry's eyes went wide, and Sarah took a deep drink from her wine as Molly and Bart made their way over to the table. Violet looked confused, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Bart. It was like he was all she saw.

"You're back." She said, and hated the catch in her voice.

He nodded sharply, and shrugged his broad shoulders in response. Harry stood up to greet Molly and shake his brother's hand.

"Bart..." He started awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

It was then that Lenore stepped out from behind Bart, a cat having eaten the canary smile on her face. "Given that all my brothers are home, I thought it would be nice if we could all have lunch with their wives and girlfriends." Lenore hit the word girlfriend hard, as she looked over at Violet to catch her reaction.

Lenore caught the look she'd been waiting for. The flash of pain that crossed Violet's face, before it was carefully hidden. The girl's brow furrowed in thought as another table was brought by wait staff to join theirs and accommodate the whole group.

A very tense meal was then shared, for everyone except Molly and Lenore. Molly, at Lenore's request, recounted how Harry had first seen her at a curling match, and that he'd just had to meet her at a bar afterwards.

"You watched curling?" Sarah incredulously asked Bart. Everything she knew of curling made her believe it was about as exciting as watching a snail slug along a rock.

"It must have been all the women yelling 'HARD', that lured him in..." Harry added in.

Sarah chuckled, but it dissipated at seeing the look on Violet's face. More awkward conversation followed. Lenore was surprisingly quiet throughout the meal, until the last course when she addressed the waiter.

"I'd like a hot fudge, marshmallow sundae! It just feels like a celebratory day!" She smiled at Molly, and then over at Violet.

"Thank you!" Molly beamed. "You are such a sweetheart!"

"She's a peach." Violet bit out.

After dessert, Molly and Bart took off, having tickets to a show to get to.

"I hate her." Violet bit out as soon as they were gone.

"She's literally the nicest person I've ever met." Harry couldn't help but say.

Violet scowled at him.

"Sorry!" He laughs, and takes his best friend's side, as best friends are want to do. "I hate her too."

"I adore her." Lenore intoned with glee.

"You do not." Harry rolled his eyes.

"I do." Lenore insisted in a tone that billions of other people would believe, but that wasn't fooling her big brother. "I really, really do adore her."

"Fine." Harry chuckled. "You just adore her because Violet hates her."

"Harry, you really shouldn't try to quantify love."

Violet made a funny sound in her chest, and then quickly stood to excuse herself to use the lady's room.

"You shouldn't worry." Lenore's voice cut off Violet's exist.

"Excuse me?" Violet asked confused.

Lenore didn't look up at her, she merely kept her gaze on the sundae freshly placed in front of her, and swiped her spoon along the whip cream. "She's wearing a purity ring... and my guess is, it's not ironically."

"What?" The three adults asked in shock.

"I talked to her last night." Lenore shrugged. "Apparently 'True love waits'... Which doesn't sound right to me. Maybe you should think about that, Violet, hmmm? I would imagine it only waits so long..."

Violet looked as if wheels were already spinning in her head, and instead of going to the washroom, she quickly excused herself from the restaurant.

Harry and Sarah stared at Lenore, mouths agape.

"Why you little cupid..." Sarah laughed with her eyes alight.

Lenore sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm just trying to shake them up. A zombie could see that Bart and Violet are crazy in love with each other. They just need a little push."

"You seem to only do shoves over cliffs..." Sarah pointed out with a hint of a smile.

Her sister-in-law just shrugged. "Subtly is overrated. Besides, I want the Canadian out. You can't trust them. Nobody is that nice."

Harry grinned widely. "I know someone who's that nice..." And he leaned in to try and tickle his matchmaking little sister.

She grabbed her knife off the table and held it up to him to ward him away. "Don't even think about it."

TahDAH! Do any of you do this? Back in the cottaging days my mom stopped using luggage and started using... plastic laundry baskets to cart her things back and forth. She still does it. She came to visit me last week, and showed up with all her clothes and toiletries in a plastic laundry basket. Then there was a little family emergency and it looked like she might have to take the train home instead of her car. It suddenly hit her. "How am I going to take my laundry basket on the train?!" Then she mimed walking through Union Station carrying her laundry basket. I nearly wet my pants. So she did the bit three more times. My mom is such a weirdo... and I love it.

PS-How many of you were cursing out Lenore at some points? She's had some method to her evil madness!


	78. Chapter 78

Hello! Okay, so I just finished a slew of studying for a Freud exam (which I passed! Yea, me!), and so I am happily taking a break from reading about the dude. This means that while I still have an essay to write, and school is still on... I'll have more time to write. And more time to eat cookies. I'm going to try to do more writing than cookie eating. Here we go...

Much of the Bass family sat around their formal living room, waiting. Chuck sat in a high wingback chair, sipping the drink Harry had just brought him, as he watched his family. Blair was seated between Eleanor and Bart, while Molly perched on a chair next to him, and they looked over some old family photos. Harry walked over to where his wife was standing by the fireplace and passed her one of the two glasses of wine in his hands.

"I can believe my granddaughter is already having her Bat Mitzvah." Eleanor marveled. "She can't possibly be thirteen already."

Molly was still confused, and whispered to Bart. "I didn't even know you were Jewish?"

"We're not." Harry commented dryly.

"Oh." Molly's brow furrowed. "They why-"

"Lenore loves a party in her honour." Sarah answered without missing a beat. Harry smiled and leaned in and kissed her cheek, taking her by surprise. She looked up at him and he just shrugged, but he knew. Sarah got the Basses. And hell, if she could understand his little brother and sister, and still love them, she deserved a medal.

"No." Blair said clearly, interrupting his thoughts. "She just loved her Zadie."

Blair's eyes met her mother's, and both women found tears in them. And Blair reached out to take Eleanor's hand in comfort. Cyrus had passed away last year, and had been loved and missed ever since. After his funeral, Blair had informed her mother that she would be moving in with them, because Waldorf women loved to make their own plans. She should have known that the woman who had taught her everything she knew, would have an agenda of her own. After having lived in Paris for so long, Eleanor considered France her home... and then proceeded to surprise her un-surprise-able daughter. Eleanor moved in with Harold and Roman. Blair had had to ignore weeks of teasing from the NJBC over her having the weirdest parents, but it had quieted down after Dan had asked her if he could write a book about it, and she pushed him into a pool. In the middle of a garden cocktail party.

"I had over thirty years with the love of my life. Some people don't even get a moment of that." Eleanor smiled as she squeezed her daughter's hand. Blair smiled at her, and then her eyes shifted to find Chuck's, and she knew what he did. They were greedy. They both wanted much, much more than even the decades they'd already had. They wanted eternity.

On the other side of the room, their oldest son looked at his wife, and they shared another smile. Bart looked anywhere but at Molly. The sound of a heel slamming to the floor at the top of the stairs broke the moment, and signaled to everyone that someone was ready to make their arrival. They stood and moved to stand near the bottom of the stairs, and watch as Lenore descended the sweeping steps. She walked down with her chin high and a becoming smile on her face, knowing that she'd caught them off guard. She didn't even make it to the middle of the staircase.

Chuck opened his mouth to say something, but Blair got to it first.

"No." Blair said firmly, brooking no argument.

"What?" Lenore gave her mother innocent doe eyes. It didn't work.

"No. No, no, no, no... NO." Blair's hand pointed wildly at the dress that was too short, too high, too tight and too cut out.

"I like it!" Lenore tried to entreat.

"I don't. I'm your mother. I win."

"It's my birthday." She stomped her foot. "It's my Bat Mitzvah!"

"One you won't be going to until you change your napkin into a dress."

Seeing that her mother was not going to back down, and being able to tell that her father was on the same page as Blair, Lenore knew she had no choice.

"Fine! But you just wait till I'm a grownup! I'm going to wear whatever I want, and do whatever I want, and no one will stop me!" She turned and stomped back up the stairs, and her family could now see that the "dress" was also completely backless.

"Wow. That felt like a threat." Sarah mused after her sister-in-law was gone. "I'm glad we got her a good gift."

"I'm just glad that I lived to see that." Eleanor said wryly, her eyes twinkling at Blair. "I think the greatest gift a mother can have... is for her daughter to have a daughter."

"You mean revenge." Chuck smiled at his mother-in-law.

"That to."

"Mother, isn't it time for your pill?" Blair cut in with a scowl.

Harry smirked and slammed a hand on his father's back, one finger coming to his own chin in mock contemplation. "I feel... Like all the years of Lenore... are nothing compared to the years she's going to give you. Mother's going to need to buy stock in hair dye for the grey."

Blair shot him a look that made him want to hide behind his Dad.

"Bart!" Harry gasped, throwing his brother to the wolves and passing the blame. "Don't say things like that about our mother! You know she's still a _natura_l, beautiful brunette!"

Blair looked at an innocent Bart, and kissed his cheek. "You're my favourite." She dropped, and walked back into the living room to get a drink, ignoring Harry clutching his chest and miming a mortal wound.

A few hours later they were all at the best Bat Mitzvah to have ever hit the UES, and that was saying something. Everyone who was anyone at school or in New York was there, and Lenore had her father introduce her to every major mogul in the place before she'd cut the cake. Chuck had done it, proudly, because as always she was equal parts politeness and shrew interpreter, making a lasting impression.

Harry and Sarah were on the dance floor, slowly moving in each other's arms, her head on his shoulder, when she spotted a figure at the top of the grand staircase. Sarah nudge her husband's chin in that direction, as she let out a soft cat-call whistle.

"Wow." Sarah's eyes starred at Violet as she came down the stairs. She wasn't the only one. "I think I'm leaving you. I can marry Violet in this state now, right?"

His smile went to a frown at even the suggestion of her leaving him, and Sarah laughed. "Don't worry, I'll never leave you."

Harry visibly relaxed.

"But I'd go into couples therapy for ten minutes in a closet with your best friend."

Sarah was still laughing when Violet reached them. Her gown was a gorgeous purple, sequined halter, that plunged in the front, and that hugged her curves all the way down. She smiled at her friends as she tossed her free, thick black curls over her shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late." Her violet eyes sparkled. "Do you think anyone noticed?"

Harry rolled his eyes at her faux innocence. "Not a one. You are, as always, subtle in your entrances."

Violet ignored him. "I'm going to dash and wish the freshly minted woman a happy Birthday. Do something useful and get me a drink."

"You're not the boss of me." Harry pointed out.

"You're right." Violet nodded and looked at Sarah.

Without missing a beat, Sarah looked over at Harry. "Go get Violet a drink."

The women laughed as he grumbled away. Violet took the opportunity to scan the crowd, trying her best to be coy. Sarah was onto her.

"He missed it."

"What?" Violet looked at her in confusion.

"Your entrance. Bart missed it."

"Oh." Violet said, trying to hide her disappointment.

"The crowd was getting to him... so he's in a back room." Sarah nodded her head to where Molly was dancing up a storm in the middle of the dance floor. "Some people seem to like the spotlight a little more than others."

"That's a shame..." Violet murmured, the sparkle coming back into her eyes.

She was gone before Harry got back. He looked around with the drink in his hand, but his wife took it, and sipped it with mirth filled eyes.

"Where'd Violet go?" He asked a second before he spotted her heading down a hallway off the main room.

"Don't think about it." Sarah warned, knowing Harry knew exactly where his brother was, because he'd popped in to check on him a couple of times tonight.

"Ewwwww!" Harry shuddered.

"I told you not to think about it..." Sarah laughed, shaking her head.

"You're as bad as Lenore." Harry commented on the matchmaking.

"What can I say? She won me over to Team Vart."

"That's disgusting."

"So I guess you're not in the mood to sneak out onto the balcony and make out with me for the next half hour?"

He grabbed her hand and started dragging her off before she'd even finished her sentence.

Lenore was laughing with Chloe as they watched a minion trip over her own train, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find Ralph standing there, holding out a hand to her.

"Dance with me?"

She eyed him suspiciously for a moment, because he'd danced with almost every girl there at this point, including her mother. And grandmother. Not that Lenore had noticed, because she didn't care. At all. She have a nonchalant shrug and took his hand. The band had been playing a fast paced song as they got out there, but within seconds it seemed like that song had ended and suddenly they were announcing that they were taking a quick break and a DJ queued up a song quickly. Stay, by Rihanna started playing, and Lenore and Ralph looked at each other awkwardly, ready to bolt. Then Lenore, with a small sigh, stepped forward a little and placed her hands on his shoulders. His hands found her waist, and soon they were swaying to the music, not meeting each other's eyes, and keeping a foot between them.

Across the floor, Blair moved to the beat in her husband's arms, but she had eyes only for her daughter. Chuck followed her gaze, and smiled at the scene.

"That's our baby, dancing with a boy." Blair whispered, her throat thick with awe. "She really is growing up."

Chuck smiled and kissed Blair's temple. "Want to check out the roof with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

In a back room, where you could still hear the music through the walls, Bart was sprawled on a plush lounge, tossing M&Ms across the room as he tried to get them in an ice bucket. He was bored out of his mind, with the party, and with his life. Okay, to be specific, he was bored with Molly, but there was something else. Something was missing in his life. It was right about then that Violet slipped into the room, and everything suddenly sparkled. Literally. The dim lighting caught the millions of sequins on her dress, and suddenly that was all he saw. Violet and light.

He jerked up of the seat, as if she lassoed him with a rope, and then he took a step towards her. She met him half way, and her hands found his collar, pulling him to her. She'd started the dance. He started kissing her.

Molly headed down the hall, a piece of birthday cake for her boyfriend in her hand. The party was winding down, right now it was mostly only family and close friends left in the ballroom, so she had it in mind to tell him it was safe to come had her usual smile on her face as she opened the door, ready to surprise him... but it was she who got the surprise. Well, her and the ardently screwing couple on the lounge.

Her scream echoed all the way out to the dance floor.

The lingering crowd was all eyes and ears as Molly stormed back into the ballroom, followed by a disheveled Bart... who's face was covered in what appeared to be a slice cake.

"I cannot believe I left Canada for this!" She yelled.

Harry and Sarah slipped back into the ballroom and it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened... Especially when Violet sauntered out a minute later, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"And you!" Molly charged, pointing a condemning finger at Violet. "I'm surprised you could get out here this fast, what with your heels caught in your earrings!"

"I think I'm going to throw up." Harry muttered.

Chuck and Blair had just walked in, and at Chuck's signal, security quickly started ushering the few remaining non-inner circle guests out.

Violet made the tactical error of smirking with Molly within reach of a large slab of cake. It was good thing Violet only ever intended to wear that dress once. The cake slammed into her face with such force it sent her to the ground. Bart was instantly at her side to help her up.

"I can't believe I dated you! I could have had a hockey player!" And with that Molly turned on her heel and stormed out of the ballroom.

Lenore looked at Violet incredulously. "You better have gotten me an amazing gift."

"Don't worry. I know the routine." Violet commented as she started wiping the cake out of her eyes. She looked over at Bart who was smirking at her. Her eyes narrowed. "You better be worth this."

He shrugged with a teasing smile. "I guess we'll see."

TahDAH! Okay, so what do we have here? Violet and Bart. Bart and Violet.

Holy, Frak. Do you watch the Walking Dead. I watch the Walking Dead. Tonight a friend came over for dinner and to watch the show. Last week we were at her place for it and I ran down her hall and hid in her bathroom off and on for the full show. Stop laughing. It gets worse. This week, at one point, I jumped up and dove behind my chair, my friend looked over and started laughing as I was peeking over the top to look at the screen. "What are you doing?" "Hiding from zombies. Duh." Also when I walked her to the subway she poked her head out of my door, looked at the street and was like, "All clear." That's a good friend. Oh, and walking home by myself? A guy was scuffling a little? ZOMBIE! I hear a rattling? ZOMBIE WALKING HIS DOG! In short... ZOMBIE! ZOMBIE! ZOMBIE!

And Liz is going to kill me for writing all of that. I LOVE YOU LIZ!


	79. Chapter 79

Hello! Okay... So I have to break something to everyone... We can't call Bart and Violet... that word. It turns out... it means something that I did not know it meant. It is something... I have no words. As I write this I know Maria is killing herself laughing at me right now. Elizabeth, I hear you too. I shall not be using the V word again in ITY. Maria? Shut up. Here we go...

Violet lay in her beautiful king sized bed, on 400 thread count Egyptian sheets, in her perfect Upper West Side apartment. Her boyfriend, of two whole weeks, had thoroughly seen to her needs, and she was exhausted in the most perfect way. She now wanted nothing more that to curl up next to him and go to sleep... but he was driving her crazy.

She lay on her back, sheet over her chest, and her arms folded across her stomach. She checked her nails periodically. Ignoring him. He lay on his back, sheet folded across his chest, but he cringed and grimaced, fidgeting as if he was resting on steel wool. At his millionth grunt, she sighed heavily and said with a roll of her eyes. "Fine. Lets go."

An hour later they were laying, spooned, on his bed in the Bass penthouse. His arms held her tight to him, even though she tried to wiggle away, still put out that the man "claimed" he could only sleep on his side of the park. Her body was rigid in his arms, but he ignored it as he placed open mouthed kisses on her neck.

"If this is how it's going to be..." She glanced over her shoulder to look at Bart. "We're going to redecorate."

He took the opportunity to kiss her lips, coaxing her tongue to meet his. He kissed her until she was moaning, and turning in his arms so she could get closer to him.

"I like this." Bart whispered later, as she lay pressed against him, her head on his shoulder.

She smiled into his skin. God, she loved his voice. And there was something unbelievably sexy to her, that he hardly used it, except when they were alone. It was deep and warm and made her toes curl. "I got that impression."

His lips found her forehead, and he kissed her. "I love you."

"I'd be an idiot if I hadn't noticed..." She said conversationally with a little shrug. She knew he loved her. She'd known that since the beginning, and it had been one of the parts that had scared her the most.

"And you love me." He said softly, not at all put off by her response, because he knew.

"Perhaps." She rolled her eyes.

He flipped her over, pinning her underneath him. He smirked down at her, and insisted. "You love me."

"Maybe a little..."

He touched her in a way that had shockwaves shooting through her body.

"Maybe a lot!" She gasped.

Bart raised a brow at her, but his eyes were intense. "So prove it."

"I could have sworn that I had already tonight. Twice. But I'm up for it... if you are?" She teased, wiggling against him.

"Marry me."

"Wha-What?" Violet stuttered, thrown off guard.

"Marry me." Again it wasn't phrased as a question.

She shook her head, mostly to clear it, and her curls bounced around on his pillow.

"Bart, I've already admitted that, while I have often publicly condemned your weirdness, I secretly have found it endearing. This is pushing it. We've only been dating two weeks!" Her voice started to go up in pitch near the end, and even she flinched at the sound.

He managed to get his hearing back a few seconds later, and he lifted himself off of her to sit up and lean against the headboard. Taking her hand he pulled her up and she straddled his lap so that they were now eye to eye. His arms came around her body and pulled her closer. Hers came wrapped around his neck, and she pressed her forehead against his. Her hair came around them like a curtain. After long minutes, he pushed her hair back from her face, wanting them both to see clearly.

"I love you, and I want to marry you." He told her huskily. "And if you haven't figured it out... I know what I like, and I know what I want. And I always get it. Always."

"And they think you're the least Bass of all the Basses..." Violet mused at the Bass arrogance that had been so evident in his last words.

"Don't change the subject." He admonished.

"Fine."

"Fine?

"Fine."

"Fine you won't change the subject or fine you'll marry me?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Fine..." She heaved a great sigh, as it sorely put upon. "I'll marry you."

Then she tackled him.

When they lay panting on the sheets a while later, her head hanging off the side of the mattress.

"I can't believe I said yes to a spare of the moment proposal... "

He lifted his head from her stomach, and looked down at her seriously. "It wasn't spare of the moment."

"Yes, I can see that." She waved her bare left hand in his face.

One side of his mouth twitched up, and he lurched forward, purposely crushing her into the mattress with his body and he reached into his bedside drawer. She grunted and slapped at his shoulders for the few seconds he used her as a pillow. Finally he eased off her enough so she could draw a full breath, and they lay facing each other on their sides. He propped himself up on one elbow to look down at her, and with the other hand he held up a sapphire and diamond engagement ring that sparkled, even in the dark.

She gasped, and for once it was Violet who was speechless. She watched in awe as he threaded it onto her ring finger and kissed it. "It's the one my Zadie gave my grandmother when he proposed."

She blinked at him, her eyes asking Bart when.

He smiled. "Two weeks ago."

"Just so you know." She began, not taking her eyes from her ring. "I'm making up a different story to tell our grandchildren. One in which we're both much less naked."

"Can one of us be naked?"

"No."

The next morning they came down to breakfast, and no one was surprised to see them. Every time they tried to stay over at Violet's, they'd ended up back home. As they took their seats at the table with an already present Blair, Chuck, Harry and Sarah, there was only one person not present.

Bart cast a glance at Violet, and she kept her hand tucked under the table cloth, knowing they wanted to wait till everyone was there. Besides, if they didn't, Lenore would kill them and there wouldn't be a wedding.

They waited for the standard quick clip they were all used to, but instead they heard... clomping? It took an exorbitant amount of time for her to reach the entrance to the dinning room, and when she did... she looked a wreck.

Her face was pinched, her hair was a wild, unstyled mess, and she was hunched over with her arms wrapped around her belly.

"Lenore, darling, are you alright?" Blair asked in concern, already starting to get up from the table to rush to her daughter.

Lenore's eyes breathed fire at her mother and froze Blair to her spot. And accusing finger shot out and accused. "You! Liar!"

"Oh, no." Harry whispered to Sarah. "She's figured out that Blue can't have kittens because Mother had her fixed and not because Blue is just choosy."

"I was going to go with, 'You weren't an accident" myself..." Chuck mused in a voice only his wife could hear.

Blair kicked him under the table. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"You are liar, who lies!"

"This has been established. Why don't you elaborate." Blair resisted rolling her eyes, but made it clear she wanted Lenore to get to the point.

"I got my period."

Blair's face lit up.

Harry leaned over to Sarah to ask in a conspirator's whisper. "I'm confused? Do we applaud? What's the protocol here."

"Don't applaud." Sarah spoke out of the side of her mouth. "Just smile and nod."

"Can it!" Lenore snapped at them as she hitched a little further into the room.

"My baby-" Blair began.

"Save it. I'm a woman now, blah, blah, blah. I can't believe you sold me on all this period propaganda, and I can't believe I bought it! I'm an idiot!"

"Lenore-"

"This isn't beautiful! Magical! Nature's gift!" She continued to storm, and started to circle around the table. "So far? It's just gross and it HURTS!"

"A little cramping is na-" Sarah tried.

Lenore's voice dropped as she looked at her sister-in-law. "If you say this is natural, I will cut you."

Then she doubled over on herself and moaned. "I feel like my womb is a pomegranate being squeezed till it bursts."

"That only lasts a little while." Violet buttoned it at the look she was shot.

Lenore stood up a little, and resumed her repeated circling of the table, eyeing her mother. "This is disgusting! It's not like a little paper cut down there, you know?!"

"I'm familiar..." Blair said dryly.

"And it just keeps on coming..." Lenore looked skyward and heaved. "And the colour..."

"Where did Bart go." Violet looked around after finding only an empty chair beside her.

"To vomit." Chuck, Harry and Sarah said at the same time.

"He has that delicate disposition."

"I am not doing this." Lenore declared.

"Doing what? Being a woman?" Chuck asked.

"I am not doing this for another thirty or forty years. It's disgusting and I refuse." Lenore regally proclaimed with her perfect chin in the air.

"This ought to be good..." Harry leaned back in his seat to enjoy the show.

"I want..." She panted. "A hysterectomy."

"I'm just going to go ahead and say it." Harry said drolly. "Isn't 13 a little young to be making that decision?"

"Whatever, Penis. You don't know what this is." She pointed agitatedly at her groin, and the threw her hands up in the air. "I'll just have cats. Lots and lots of cats. I don't even like kids."

"I didn't either. Then I had three." Blair said.

"And I think I know why. It got you out of menstruation for a solid 27 months. Well played, Mother. And you know what? Don't even think about trying to guilt me with the whole, 'We want grandchildren' thing." She tossed a thumb at each of her brothers' partners. "These two have breeder eyes. And besides, not being genetic Basses, they need to pop out a kid or four to cement their place in the will. I don't have that concern. I'm 100% Bass."

"She's got that right..." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Harry?"

"Yes, sister dear?"

"Shut it." She paused and grimaced. "I just felt something gush."

Bart, who had been walking back into the room, spun on his heel and walked out again.

"I need a shower. And heating pad. And a macaron. Or ten."

She started out and then jerked to a halt, not turning around, and bursting out. "MOTHER?! Aren't you coming?!"

Blair jerked to her feet and half ran after her daughter who was already half way to the stairs.

When Bart came back, he looked around and then looked to Violet.

"They went upstairs."

Bart nodded, and waved a finger around in the air, signaling for them all to follow him. Soon they were all standing outside Lenore's door.

"I don't want to go in there. Why are we going in there?" Sarah whispered.

"Yeah, Bart can't this wait a few days? You know what they say about bleeding animals."

"Don't call your sister an animal." Chuck chastised.

"Yeah." Harry scoffed. "Like you're in any hurry to open this door."

"That's it. I'm going in." Violet pushed the door open.

A freshly showered Lenore lay curled in her mother's arms, and she raised her head to scowl at the group crowding into her bedroom.

"I thought I made it clear, I just want my mother." She put her head down and snuggled in to Blair's shoulder. "Make them go away, Mommy."

Bart nudged Violet. Violet nudged Bart. Cut eye went back and forth. With a giant huff, Lenore sat up. "For crying out loud! Bart and Violet are engaged. Boom. Done. You can all get out of my room now."

The room exploded with happy congratulations, and Chuck didn't miss the hint of a smile on Lenore's face. As they settled down, Violet looked at Lenore and smiled.

"You knew?"

"You've got my grandmother's rock on your finger. I've got eyes." Lenore rolled her eyes, pulled her covers up higher around her, and patted the spot next to her as the stared at her mother.

The rest of the family cleared out to go downstairs and share a toast, while Blair and her new little woman cuddled up together. Blair smiled as she played with Lenore's long, dark hair.

"I know what you're thinking?"

"Am I allowed to speak now?" Blair teased, given that earlier Lenore had banned her on speaking when she came out of the shower.

"The pills you gave me are kicking in." Lenore shrugged. "Plus... I'm kinda happy for Bart too."

"Me too." Blair smiled. "Don't worry. I won't tell them."

"I know you hate this, but I'm still happy for you. It's part of changing. It's part of growing up. It's part of becoming who you're supposed to be." Blair said softly.

"A bleeding mess?" Lenore scoffed. "Besides, I already am who I'm going to be."

"You are." Blair nodded, kissing Lenore's cheek, and not correcting her. At 13 Blair had thought she had known exactly who she was and what she was going to do with her life. She was grateful everyday that she had been wrong. "Maybe it's also... I can't wait to see what you do next."

Lenore smiled, because she had plans... and couldn't wait either.

TahDAH! Okay, I just watched the season finale of The Walking Dead. I watched much of it in my bathroom with my iPod blasting N'Sync. There may have been dancing. Okay, there was totally dancing. I will be scared of people who stagger for the next week. I wasn't going to post this for a little bit, but Elizabeth needed a little pick me up. Hope you like it, Elizabeth!

I've been in a writing mood. There may be more soon.

Oh, and the moment crushed Violet into the bed was a rip from Friday Night Lights. One of my favourite Lyla and Riggens scenes.


	80. Chapter 80

Hello! Did you know this is a special chapter for a special lady, a lady who just might be one of the NICEST, KINDEST and FUNNIEST people I've met on the internet? It's fitting, because she also just might be one of the biggest Bart fans out there. So, Mary? HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you have a great day, and that Bob takes you out on the town and you two have a blast. Please do not tell me the dirty Librarian things you plan on doing to him (I lied, you can send me naughty Librarian tales if you want to). I am a lady. Here we go...

_Six months out..._

"I don't understand why this is so difficult?" Violet stormed. "I want to get married in Central Park, and I just want to close off half of it for 24 hours to do this! Tourist can go see the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty or a million other sites that day!"

Blair, Sarah, Bart and a very put upon wedding planner said nothing.

Violet put her hands on her hips and looked at Blair in frustration. "I mean... I always thought you had, like... power or something? You can't even get this tiny little venue snag worked out."

Blair looked at her pointedly, her brow quirked ever so slightly, but it spoke volumes.

"Too far?" Violet looked at Bart.

"Too far." Sarah answered for him, and waved her left hand in the air. "You don't have the band on yet."

_Five months out..._

"Bart! Those are the flowers I want! White roses with white hydrangeas." Violet told him as she slapped another picture of floral arrangements in front of him.

He scowled and looked at her pointedly.

"It's not too white." She rolled her eyes. Then she smirked. "It's not like a White Wedding wouldn't be fitting... well, for you anyway."

Bart just shrugged at his fiancee's teasing. He was perfectly happy having only been with her. He looked down at the pictures again, and instead slid another set towards his very own, precious Bridezilla.

"I gave up Canada." He said pointedly, and looked at her with a pointed gaze.

She sighed heavily. He'd wanted to get married in Nova Scotia, and he wanted poutine serves, whatever that was, but he'd agreed to a New York wedding at her request. Alright, maybe it had also involved her bestowing on him a few choice sexual favours, but it had gotten her the bid Manhattan wedding she'd always dreamed of.

"Fine."

She turned and looked at the florist. "We'll go with the purple and white arrangements."

_Four months out..._

Chuck stood in the kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil. Blair had gone with Violet and Sarah to Paris to have her first dress fitting. It was of Violet's own design, but it was being fully constructed by her favourite seamstresses in France. Chuck had stayed back with his children. Last night they'd all gone out to eat together, and Chuck smiled at the memory. He missed Blair, but it was nice to spend some time with the kids on his own. Tonight the boys had headed out with some of Harry's friends, and Lenore had gone out with friends. He'd talked to Blair tonight, before she went to sleep, for a while earlier, and he smiled again. The conversation had ended up being less than PG. He did so love his wife and her dirty little mind.

Nudging the kettle a little, he placed his hands wide on the counter, and stared at it as he waited.

"A watched pot never boils, you know."

He turned to smile at his youngest, and most know-it-all, child. "Really?"

The kettle started whistling, and Chuck looked back at it.

"See. Told you." Lenore smirked as she walked into the kitchen.

He leaned down and she kissed his cheek, she smiled at him, and then slid into one of the stools at the marble counter. She watched her father scoop loose tea leaves into the tiny strainer, and pour the boiling water through it and into the tea pot. Lenore smiled at the sight of the pot her grandmother had given her parents for one of their anniversaries... the tea pot she bet her parents still didn't know she'd broken when she'd thrown it at Ralph when she was nine. She'd made Ralph come with her downtown to buy a replacement, give that it was his fault to. If he hadn't have annoyed her that much, she would never have had to throw the pot in the first place.

"Tea?" He offered taking out one cup, but keeping his hand ready to take one for her.

"Tea wishes it was coffee." Lenore scoffed.

Chuck didn't say anything, but took out only the single cup and prepared his drink.

"You're home early..." He commented as he pushed the cookie jar near her, and opened the lid.

Lenore shrugged haphazardly as she took a cookie out, and broke off a piece. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he raised a brow. "Was bowling not everything you'd dreamed it could be?"

Her face went flat and she scowled at her father.

"That good, huh?" He teased with a chuckle, knowing she'd loudly protested her friends' choice of a group bowling night tonight, instead of the movie that had been Lenore's choice.

She held up her arms and shook them around. "Do these look like arms that were meant to hurl heavy objects down waxed lanes? No offense, but it's not like I come from the most athletic of stock."

"Touché." He smiled. "Did you at least have fun with Chloe and Ralph?"

She rolled her eyes. "You mean the two people who came up with the idea and then invited a million people to come along?"

"I take it that's a no?"

"I went bowling. I bought bowling shoes. I broke a nail! ...And Ralph was talking to some girl that worked there all night, and Chloe hung out with some girl from Spence the whole time." She shrugged.

"Did you hang out with anyone..." Chuck asked.

She shrugged. "They were lame, it was lame, the whole thing was-"

"Lame." Chuck finished for her, but then looked at her carefully as he sipped his tea. "Were you perhaps upset that you didn't get to go to Paris with your mother and the girls for the fitting?"

"Oh, yes." Lenore deadpanned. "That's it. I really miss watching and listening to a debate of whether or not another quarter inch of fabric should be taken in or if the train should be a foot longer. I'm so scarred that the only thing that will heal the deep mental anguish would be... A summer internship at Bass industries."

He chuckled, but couldn't help but admire her initiative and drive. More than either of her brothers, Lenore had her sights set on BI. "I'll think about it."

She smiled, knowing her summer was in the bag. Then she caught the yawn her father tried to hide behind his hand. "In a shocking role-reversal, I would tell you to go to sleep... but I know it would fall on deaf ears."

Chuck shrugged. "I thought I'd wait up for your brothers..."

Lenore shook her head, laughing at her father. "You're not fooling me. You never sleep when Mother is away. It would be adorable if it wasn't so weird."

Her father just shrugged. "You sleep beside someone every night... you grow attached..."

"I know how you feel."

"What?" Chuck's voice took on a slight edge.

"Daddy! I was talking about Blue!" Lenore widened her eyes, and look affronted, she'd known exactly how it had sounded. Sometimes her family was just too easy.

_Three months out..._

"I hate her!" Sarah paced across the floor of their bedroom, more furious that she could remember being... almost ever. She kicked off one uncomfortable high heel, and then the other. She took a great deal of pleasure in the loud thuds they made as they hit the wall. She perhaps had a visual in her head of who's face the wall represented.

Harry lay on his back in their bed, getting slightly dizzy as he watched her.

"You don't hate her..." Harry tried, but with how Violet had been acting he wasn't 100% sure his wife didn't hate his best friend.

"She's making me take 'runway' lessons, so that I know how to 'walk' down the aisle." Sarah stormed, throwing air quotes in as she went. "So believe me when I tell you... I HATE HER!"

Harry heaved a sigh. "Violet has been planning her wedding since she was nine years old... She want's everything to look perfect."

His wife ignored him. "You know, I didn't have to say yes to being her matron-of-honour. I could have told her to shove it." She started nodding, her red hair flying around her face... the red hair Violet had told her needed to be coloured, so that it was more auburn than red, because 'Red just didn't go with the esthetic of the bridal party'. "Yeah, I totally should have told her to shove it."

"Which would have been confusing, given that when she asked... you two jumped around and giggled like school girls, completely grossing out Lenore."

"Lenore!" Sarah snapped her fingers. "I should have played it like Lenore. She made Violet beg! She got wardrobe approval! In writing!"

"You're right." Harry nodded, trying another tactic.

"What?" She came up short.

"I said your right." Harry sat up and rubbed his hands together. "This whole thing is a circus... so let's just bale. You drop out of your matron-on-honour duty, I'll ditch my best-man role, and we'll just take off."

Sarah folded her arms over her chest. "You're mocking me."

With a straight face he looked at her. "Yes, yes I am."

"I hate you too."

"Yeah, but you want to sleep with me, so you'll get over it."

"You don't know that." She sauced at him.

He lay back on the bed again, folding his hands behind his head. "But I do. I'm pretty hot. You know you want me..."

"Maybe."

"You know you love me."

"Only a little bit."

"Enough to put up with Violet."

"I'm thinking about it." She said a second before she pounced on him, straddling his waist, and raking her nails down his chest. "But you'll have to make it worth my while..."

"I think I can do that..."

_Two months out..._

"Someone's happy..." Chuck murmured as Blair climbed into bed with him late one night.

"It's perfect." Blair sighed as she slid into Chuck's arms, and rested her head against his chest. "Everything is perfect. The venue, the flowers, the food..."

"You do love a wedding..." Chuck smiled. "You've had three of your own. OW!"

Chuck jumped as she pinched his nipple.

"My apologies." He cleared his throat. "Too soon?"

"You know I only like to talk about my first and last."

"Ah, yes... I believe you hated me at out last wedding." He rolled over so that they faced each other on their sides. He leaned in and kissed her shoulder.

"I didn't hate you." Blair clarified as she tilted her head to grant him access to her neck, and moaned as his magic lips did their job.

"I beg to differ..." Chuck whispered as his hot, wet kisses started moving from her neck to her chest, pulling her slip out of the way as he went.

She grabbed his head suddenly and pulled him up, so that she could look into his eyes. He was brought up short by the intensity of her gaze.

"I have never hated you, Chuck Bass."

"Not even when I-"

"Never." She cut him off and looked at him seriously. "I have always loved you, and I always will."

"Good to know." He smiled and swooped in to kiss the mouth he never got tired of kissing.

_One month out..._

Violet lay in bed, and scanned her iPad for the millionth time, going over the details of the wedding. She smiled to herself, because everything was going according to her plans.

Then her fiancee walked out of the bathroom. Naked as the day he was born. Violet's mouth went dry... and parts south of there did the opposite, as she watched shift of muscles under his skin. Skin still damp from his recent shower.

"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded. "I thought we'd agreed!"

He raised a brow at her, but then ignored her as he stretched his body into one taunt line. He was not playing fair, Violet thought to herself, regardless of the fact she knew he always slept in the buff. Three nights ago she'd pitched the idea of them not having sex again till the honeymoon, thinking to add another level of anticipation to the mix. Yeah, that hadn't been working out so well. They were 0 for 3 on nights of chastity, and tonight wasn't looking so good either.

Bart pulled open the covers and moved to climb in, just as Violet jumped out of bed.

"Bart! Put some pyjamas on!"

He settled in, and smirked at her. "I don't own any."

She smiled at him and walked to a dresser, opening a drawer, and hurling flannel at him. "Consider this your wedding present."

Bart scowled at the pyjamas in his hands, and then tossed them back at her. "No thanks."

"Bart-"

"If you don't think you can control yourself around me... I guess you're just going to have to sleep on the floor. Night, Violet."

With that he punched his pillow a couple of times, turned on his side, and shut his eyes. Violet tapped her foot for a second or two, and then crawled back into the bed without another word to him. She could do this. She could lie in bed with him, and keep her hands to herself. She flicked off the light, and squirmed around, trying to get comfortable.

His back was to her, and it was like a wall of heat right next to her. She rolled onto her side, so that she would have been spooning him, if there wasn't several inches between them. He really did have the most beautiful skin, she thought to herself as she looked at it in the dim light of the bedroom. One little kiss between his shoulder blades couldn't hurt. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his warm skin. Against her own control her hands started to wander over his back, and over his side onto his stomach. Her fingers started playing with the hair they found there, and soon she was following its trail.

"Bart..." She whispered alluringly against his neck, pressing her body to his, wanting to be closer.

He flipped over quickly, and pinned her to the bed with a cheshire smile.

"Gotcha."

_The night before the wedding..._

"WHY?" Lenore demanded, and tossed her napkin onto the table. "WHY can't I go?!"

Blair pinched the bridge of her nose. Dinner had just ended and the men and women were headed out for a crawl around Manhattan. Lenore had been under the false impression that she would be joining them. Blair had just broken the news.

"God!" She stomped her foot. "It's not like I've never had a drink before!"

Blair's eyes narrowed on her daughter, and Lenore felt a hint of perspiration break out on her neck.

"I mean, at Christmas you let me have a half a glass of wine." Lenore knew that if her mother had her on the ropes, it was best to go on the defensive. "Why? What did you think I meant?"

The table wisely stayed out of the fight. Violet had just leaned over to whisper to Bart, when she thought she had a hallucination.

"No..." She muttered. "This cannot be happening..."

She got up quickly from the table, and hurried over to the man who stood in the entrance to the restaurant. Bart's eyes followed her, and he cut a look over at his brother.

"What are you doing here, Elliot?" Violet hissed.

"You can't marry him. You know you can't marry him."

"I know that I can, because I am. Tomorrow." She bit out at her ex-boyfriend. "And I can also be very clear when I say you are not invited and_ go home_."

She was so irate, she didn't notice the Bass siblings come up behind her.

Harry and Lenore's eyes met. He saw the tiny, almost imperceivable nod she sent his way. He returned it and both of them looked to their brother. Bart nodded to them... and it was on.

Bart stepped forward, and whispered in Violet's ear, before gently leading her away. Harry and Lenore stepped forward and stared Elliot down.

"It's time that you left." Harry said cooly.

"Now." Lenore added sharply.

What Elliot didn't know was that by morning he'd be under a 72 hour hold in a hospital in Queens, with no memory at to how he got there... or of how he was caught running naked through Central Park and trying to hump a police horse.

_The day of the wedding..._

Everything was just as they had planned. They were down to the last hour before the ceremony, and Blair was trying to keep Violet to only two glasses of champagne, but was beginning to rethink that as Sarah kept her updated on an unravelling situation.

"Is my Dad here yet?" Violet asked as she looked at herself in the mirror again, loving everything about how she looked.

Sarah shot Blair a look, Blair hurried over to Violet. "Violet, is your left eyebrow more arched than your right? Let's try to fix that."

Violet looked at Blair as if she'd lost her mind. "I'm perfect. Why are you trying to distract me... Wait... Where's my dad?" There was slight edge to her voice now. A growing hysteria.

Blair broke the news quickly, and with the care of someone who remembered what it was like when parents didn't show up.

"What do you mean he's not here?" Violet demanded of Blair, and was told how her father had not been picked up from the airport, as it seemed he had never boarded his flight to New York in the first place. No one had heard from him, but Chuck's PI said he'd found him on a fox hunt in Derby.

"I can't believe he didn't even call... there must be a mistake." She tried to reason. She'd given her phone to Sarah to hold while she was getting ready.

Harry and Lenore slipped into the room as Violet rushed to Sarah and snatched her purse from her hands. Fumbling through the other woman's bag until she found her phone.

"He's not coming..." Violet murmured to herself, and in those first seconds of realization, you could see the pain of it register on her face, and in her voice.

Sarah rubbed Violet's back and looked to Harry. "Maybe your dad could..."

Violet's head shot up and she looked at Harry too, hope in her eyes. If Harry hadn't have glanced at Lenore he would have missed it. Harry saw Lenore's eyes narrow fractionally, and her mouth open slightly as if to say something, before slamming shut. Harry knew instantly that this was treading on Lenore's territory. She may not have her wedding planned out in her head, but he knew that if Lenore ever did get married, she wanted her father to walk her down the aisle. She was a Daddy's girl... and Harry knew it would hurt her to watch her father walk another girl down the aisle.

"No." Harry said clearly. "She's been my best friend for almost our whole lives... I want to do it. My Dad can stand in as Best-man."

With that settled, the momentum continued, and soon Bart was standing at the front of the Church and watching Violet move towards him. He didn't see anything. Not the guests. The flowers. His brother. Nothing but Violet.

They stood there, together, listening to the minister read the traditional vows, answering when called to. Violet liked the traditional vows, and also she knew how Bart hated public speaking. But he did speak to her. When he lifted her veil, he whispered how beautiful she was. When he placed the ring on her finger, he hushed about forever. And before he kissed her, in front of everyone they knew, he told her that he was always going to love her.

It was the perfect wedding.

_At the reception..._

Lenore stood on a balcony, overlooking the dance floor, and watched the couples dance around. Her parents. Harry and Sarah. Bart and Violet. She smiled to herself, and sent a quick smile to Ralph as he came to stand next to her, before looking back at her family.

"Lillian Eleanor." He said in greeting.

"I come from a family of hopeless romantics." She mused, with a roll of her eyes that was softened by her smile.

Ralph smiled. "You know what they say about apples..."

She looked over at him, and jumped a little. He was standing so close. Had his eyelashes always been that long? Had she ever notices that his light brown eyes had tiny flecks of green in them? Her eyes were drawn down to his full lips as he pressed them tightly together for a second, and then relaxed them again. Could lips look firm and soft at the same time? She was nearly fascinated. She must be losing her mind. She looked up to laugh it off, but then she was slammed by his gaze again. Had he ever looked at her like that before? Like she was all he saw. Like she was beautiful.

Very gently he took her face in his hands, tiny shocks radiated over her skin from his touch. As if in slow motion, he started to move closer, and it felt like she was powerless to stop him. That she didn't want to. Breathless as she waited for what was going to come next. He leaned in, and pressed his lips to hers. Lenore had been kissed by family and friends, or quick kisses during games at parties, so she thought she'd known what it was all about. That kissing a boy would be like that, but messier. She certainly had never imagined how good it would feel when his lips slightly parted on hers, or the first slight dart of his tongue. Electric shocks moved through her, leaving her tingling. Making her think she would love to kiss Ralph forever.

That's when the bucket of cold water washed over her, and she pulled back sharply, her fingers rushing to her lips. They still tingled from his kiss.

"What was that?" She demanded stepping back from him.

"A kiss." Ralph told her intensely.

"Are you trying to ruin everything?" She begged, nearly stricken. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I wanted to." He said, still looking at her, but a coolness had entered his eyes.

She shook her head. "You shouldn't have done that. I have to go." And then she did. He watched her quick steps that took her further and further away, and he let himself get cold.

TahDAH! Okay, my mom just nearly killed me. I was on the phone with her, and we'd been talking a while. Well, at a certain point I realized I had to pee. I tried to make excuses. Hints. Flat out saying that I had to pee. All ignored for 47 minutes. I'll say that clearly... the woman kept me on the phone for 47 minutes. At a certain point I started pacing in circles around my living room. I very nearly had a very wet accident on my floor.

Mary, did you see that your Birthday fic is... almost twice as long as my usual chapters?


	81. Chapter 81

Hello! I sometimes wonder if I should disclose when I'm writing with pants on, and when I'm writing without. Then I think, "Nah." And get your minds out of the gutter! I also have clothes on the brain. I'm watching Fashion Star. Elizabeth is reading this and probably wondering, "Really? Fashion? You're not known for your taste." This is true. I am, by no means, a Fashionista. BUT I admire who design, and design clothes beautifully. I perhaps am rooting for Cassandra. One because I like her clothes... and two... I'm sure some of you can guess the other reason... Okay, I'll just say it. She's Canadian. (sobs) I'm so biased! Here we go...

"Get up." Violet demanded of her new husband.

He rolled over and pulled a pillow over his head, blocking her out. She knelt beside him on the massive king sized bed. The room was mostly wood and stone, but had floor to ceiling windows that let it the spectacular view of the ocean, mountains and forest. She'd told Bart she'd always wanted to honeymoon on a beach, on some island somewhere beautiful. She'd expected Tahiti or the like. Bart gave her Tofino.

She'd woken up twenty minutes ago, and had stood at the window for long minutes, taken aback by how stunning this place was. She'd probably still be standing there if it hadn't been for her continued, and growing, need to pee. Now she was awake and wanted him to be too.

"Bart!" She snapped as she yanked the pillow away.

Then she screamed, because out of nowhere, he lunged up, grabbed her, and pulled her back into the bed with him. He quickly held her down with his limbs, tucking her close to him, and started to place kisses across her shoulder.

Violet sighed, and managed to keep her body ridged for a whole three minutes before she melted. She started kissing his jaw, and wiggled closer to him.

"Fine." She gasped. "One more hour. If we weren't going to leave the hotel room, we could have just stayed in New York."

Three hours later she came to, alone in the bed. Violet pushed herself up from the mattress and looked around. There was no sign of her husband. She smiled to herself. Her husband.

"Bart?"

She heard the shower turn off, and she rolled over onto her back, resting against the pillows. He walked out of the bathroom, and her heart turned over. Partly because he gave her the smirk that turned her stomach to molten lava, and partly because he was dripping wet with only a white towel slung low on his hips. Her eyes chased the dark hair that swirled across his chest, and then narrowed down his trim belly to disappear beneath the cloth.

He raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes twinkling. "Hungry?"

She wiggled down in the bed, still smiling at him. "Always."

Two hours later Bart and Violet walked into the resort's rustic, yet elegant dinning room. They were seated at a table near the windows that looked out over the ocean. They sat across from each other, and Bart lay his hand, palm up, on the table, inviting Violet to take it. She slid her palm into his, and their fingers intertwined.

An elderly couple, who looked like they knew not of what a stylist was, smiled at them from another table. "Newlyweds?"

Violet shot them a sparkling smile. "Is it that obvious?"

The older woman smiled at her. "Only a little... you remind me Noah and I... a million years ago."

Violet smiled at Bart.

"Draft dodgers." Bart mouthed to her. She kicked him in the shin under the table.

He flinched, but managed a smile at her and the other couple.

"Sky and Noah." The woman introduced.

As always, Violet took the lead on introductions. She decided to mix it up.

"I'm Mary, and this is my husband Bob. My husband! I can't get enough of saying that! Just like I can't get enough of this man!" She giggled and got up to sit down in Bart's lap.

Catching on quick, Bart kissed her cheek and smiled at them. "What can I say? I just can't get enough of my little Librarian.

They spent the next two weeks as Bob and Mary from Ohio. It was the best honeymoon either of them could have ever dreamed of.

Back in Manhattan...

"This is taking forever..." Lenore groaned. "I'm young. Wanting to see the world... and yet, here I sit... rotting... I think I just felt braincells die."

Blair opened her mouth to comment, but shut it again with an irritated sigh. She was getting tired of waiting for the newlyweds herself. Bart and Violet had gotten back this afternoon and taken right to their room. However they weren't completely responsible for the wait. Harry and Sarah were locked away too.

"I think I can feel myself getting older..." She looked at her parents. "You two really don't have this kind of time to waste..."

"Careful..." Chuck warned.

"I'd like to remind you that I'm the only one of your children that arrived for dinner on time..."

"Touche."

Blair felt her stomach growl. "That's it!" She threw her hands up in the air. The maid served a dinner for seven to three people.

They were on the main course before the first couple came down the stairs, they'd made it to dessert before the second arrived.

"We have news!" Violet shrilled.

"We have news!" Harry declared at the same time.

Violet and Harry eyed each other for a moment, gaze narrowing fractionally. Then screamed at the same time, yet trying to beat each other to the punch.

"WE'RE PREGNANT!"

"Oh, god." Lenore groaned.

She was ignored as champaign was brought out, and toasts were had. It was a night to celebrate, as Blair declared happily. There were two more Basses on the way! The night was warm and happy, and even Lenore got into the mood. As it was winding down, Chuck cleared his throat and nodded at Blair.

"It seems to be the night for news..." Blair began as she cast a conspirator's glance at Chuck.

Lenore rolled her eyes. "If you say you're pregnant too, I'm going to runaway and you won't see me till you're on your death bed. Even then, the first thing I'll say to you is, 'What were you thinking?!'"

"You're going to change your tune in a second..." Chuck commented to his daughter.

Both Bass sons' suddenly felt a wave of trepidation wash over their happiness. If it was going to make Lenore happy... it probably wasn't going to be good for them.

"We're kicking you out."

"I'll leave her." Were the first words out of Bart's mouth. He ignored Violet's indignant gasp.

Harry took another tactic. "If we go... we take your grandchild with us." He looked at his parents who he knew were very happy about the coming babies.

"Which is why... We bought the four floors directly beneath us." Blair raised a brow at her sons in challenge. "Two for one couple, two for the other."

"You're the best parents..." Harry tried to pull his ass out of fire.

"Uh huh..." Chuck drooled.

"Wait..." Lenore asked carefully. "Just to be clear... You're finally shoving my overgrown brothers out of the nest?"

"We'll only be downstairs." Harry pointed out, and he nodded towards their parents. "You still have to share them."

Lenore smirked. "Maybe..."

Soon they were all swept up in talk of babies and renovations. Lenore excused herself shortly after it all started, but the others were up late into the night, until they were all tired and ready for sleep.

Lenore lay in bed, with her phone in her hand, scowling over the fact that while she had several missed calls, she had none from Chloe or... she was just put out that Chloe hadn't called her. At least that's what she told herself. She hadn't spoke to... that other person since her brother's wedding, and she didn't even care. And clearly he didn't either, because he'd made no effort to talk to her. Still staring at her phone, she barely noticed Blue jumping up on the bed, and then planting himself on her chest to go to sleep. Lenore scratched his neck absently, and hit dial on her phone. She got Chloe's voicemail.

"Hey, Chloe. Shocker of all shockers, my brothers have both knocked up their wives." She said in her normal, rather caustic tone, but then it slipped. An softer beat slipped in. "Call me."

After hanging up, Lenore looked at Blue, and the cat's wide eyes opened to star back at her. She stroked the fur between his hears, and contemplated him.

"I'm not calling him." A disgruntled Lenore told her judgy cat. "So you can just stop looking at me like that right now."

A few doors down, Violet stood at one of the double sinks in their en suite bathroom, while Bart sat atop the counter. He'd long since finished his own teeth, but now took a swig of mouth wash, rinsing, and then leaning over to spit into the sink. Finished, he leaned back, comfortable now that the marble had finally warmed underneath him. He watched his wife brush her teeth furiously, wondering if she'd have any left by the time she was done.

"I can't believe her!" Violet paused, toothbrush hanging out of the side of her mouth so she could plant her hands on her hips.

Bart's head cocked to the side and he looked at her intently. She threw her hands up in the air, and the started brushing her teeth again with a vengeance. Bart waited, knowing there was more coming. He didn't have to wait long.

Violet spit into the sink, running the taps, and filling a glass. "I'm onto her!"

She took a deep sip of the water, rinsed her mouth, and then spit again. "She thinks she's got this, but little Miss Nebraska has another thing coming!"

"She's from Chicago..." Bart pointed out as he reached out to grasp her hands and pull her to stand between his knees.

"What's the difference?" Violet asked confused.

Bart kissed her, his hands sliding down her her back. He thought he might have turned her head to other matters, but then Violet pulled away.

"Do you know what Sarah is doing? She's trying to steal my thunder!" Bart raised a brow, and Violet blushed. "Our thunder." She amended.

Bart smiled at her at the mention of the baby. His hands left her back to caress her stomach. His warm happiness calmed her, and her hands came to rest over his. He leaned in, so did she, and they rested their foreheads against each other.

"Okay. Sarah's too pure to be pink." Violet sighed, seeing the rational of her husband's argument. "Maybe she's not gloating..."

Down the hall, Harry lay in bed and smiled as he heard his wife humming to herself in their closet.

"Someone's happy." He mused as she practically skipped into the main room, and then bounced onto the bed with him.

"Well..." Sarah hedged. Her hands grabbed his pyjamas and playfully tugged them, bouncing a little on the mattress with nearly unrestrained glee.

Harry rolled his eyes with a knowing smile. "Just let it out before you burst..."

Sarah struggled to keep a straight face, struggled to keep the grin off her mouth, and tried to look sincere. "She's my sister-in-law and I love her, and I can't wait for us to be mommies together..."

"But...?" Harry prodded the bubble.

"But she can suck it!" Sarah nearly shouted as she burst. She patted her flat belly. "Our due date is fourteen whole days before hers!"

She planted her hands on his chest and used it as leverage to gain her footing on the bed. She got to feet and started jumping up and down, bouncing Harry around as she went.

"We're going to win! We're going to win!"

At first Chuck wasn't sure what had woken him in the middle of the night. The first thing that registered as being out of place is that he couldn't feel her against him. He could sense her still in the bed, but she wasn't where she should be. Curled up with him. She lay on her side, facing away from him. He turned and shifted his body so he was tucked against her, his arm sliding over her belly to pull her closer, and he tucked his chin against her shoulder.

"If you really want us to have another baby... I'll call a doctor. We'll shoot you up with whatever it takes... And I, of course, will be willing to put in the hours between your thighs in order to get the job done."

He grunted as her elbow slammed into his ribs.

"I do not want another baby. Three of your babies was more than enough for me."

"You loved having my babies..." He whispered huskily in her ear.

"I did." Blair smiled, rolling over and wiggling closer against him. "But as we both know... my oven is currently shutting down for business."

"I know they aren't your favourite... But I myself am quite enjoying your hot flashes." His tongue slid over the skin of her shoulder. "They make your body like a furnace..."

"You're heinous." She reprimanded with affection.

"You love it."

"I love you."

Chuck smiled. "So what's going on in that head of yours, Waldorf?"

Her eyes sparkled and she smiled widely. "Chuck... we're having grand-babies! Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck... are having grand-babies!"

She then proceeded to burst into tears.

"Shhh..." He hugged her closer, letting her soak him. "Is this the hormones?"

She slapped him in the chest at his gentle teasing. He kissed her hair. "I must admit... it is pretty amazing..., Grandma."

He raised a brow.

"What?" She asked defensively.

"Nothing." He chuckled with a shrug. "I was just expecting to get hit again."

"For what?"

"For calling you 'Grandma'." He explained and braced for a blow. It didn't come.

Blair just smiled brighter, sitting up and clapping her hands in excitement. "Grand-babies, Chuck, grand-babies! It's all the wonderfulness of having babies, but without all the blood, sweat and pain. And you get to send them away when you're tired of them!"

"This is true..." He grinned and pulled her back down on the bed with him.

"You know I'm right, Granddad."

"You often are." He let his hands run over her body. "And don't worry... I won't tell anyone that Blair Bass is a softy."

She raised a brow at him, and rolled her body against his. "Luckily, you're hard... Just like I like you... at least in the most exciting places."

"Care to have naughty elderly sex with me?" He propositioned smoothly. "OW! OWWW! BLAIR!"

As the pain receded from his nipples, he cleared his throat. "My apologies. I meant, care to have hot, soon-to-be, grand-parent sex with me."

Her scowl dissipated. "I thought you'd never ask, Bass..."

TahDAH! I have news... I think I have scurvy. Have I mentioned the weird pain in my arm? By mentioned, I mean whined. I did the stupid exercises, wore the brace, but none of it helped. My arm still hurt like hell. Then a friend gave me some "Did you know?" fun fact book to keep busy while I was waiting for her to get something. I started reading to kill time... and one page had a list of scurvy symptoms. I started taking vitamin C and drinking orange juice... and all the symptoms are going away. Do you know what this means? I was totally a pirate! Grrrr! New life lesson... citrus is important. The more you know...

Okay, so as some of you know, I'm a therapy person. I'm working on something new, I'm trying to get better at communicating my wants with people. As a general rule, I don't really like asking people for things. I'm going to practice here periodically. It's even hard for me to write what I'm trying to write right now. If you could, no pressure, but if you could, could you leave a review? I enjoy them. I want them. I am going to try not to erase this last paragraph before I post.


	82. Chapter 82

Hello! You know how sometimes you get yourself in a wild situation and you just can't figure your way out? You might want to sit down for what's coming... So I was getting ready to do a couple of dishes, and I shifted the plug... and saw a giant centipede in the drain. GIANT. CENTIPEDE. I slammed the drain closed. This is where my problems started. I'm scared to open the drain! What if it's angry? What if it's bred and a MILLION centipede flood out when I take the drain out? Needless to say... I have many dishes piling up... Here we go...

Lenore stood in front of her mirror and smiled, loving how she looked tonight. The pale pink dress was nearly white and like air, and it was perfect for the dance tonight. She'd also made sure that no other girl was wearing anything like it, which just made everything tonight all the more right. She turned, so she could angle to see the back of the dress in the mirror, and a slight frown creased her brow. At 14 she bemoaned the fact that her chest seemed to have missed the memo that she was well into puberty. Her ass didn't seemed to have missed a thing, and much to her chagrin, acted as her first and most noteworthy curve.

There was a slight tap at her door, and before she could call out that they could enter, the door was already opening. Only one person did that to Lenore.

"Mother." Lenore smiled in greeting. She knew she looked amazing, but there was still a part of her that craved her mother's approval.

Their eyes met in the mirror as Blair came to stand behind her daughter. Her hands came up and moved a long, dark lock off Lenore's shoulder.

"You look beautiful." Blair whispered and leaned in to gently kiss her daughter's cheek. "Your date is here."

Lenore nodded, then gathered and packed up the things for her clutch.

"Wasn't Chloe going to come over to get ready? Are you two fighting?" Blair asked, watching her carefully.

"She was running behind." Lenore didn't look up from her task. "I'll meet her there."

"And Ralph?" Blair asked pointedly as she selected a lip gloss off the vanity and handed it to Lenore.

"I'm sure he'll be around there somewhere." She said coolly, trying to hurry and get away from this line of questioning.

"He hasn't been around much..."

"Mother." Lenore snapped as she slammed her bag shut. "It is not my responsibility to keep track of Chloe's or anyone else's movements."

Blair didn't say anything, just looked at her daughter with a hint of a smirk on her face.

"And you can save that look. Unlike you, I don't keep a diary." Lenore

Blair just smiled wider and practically sang. "Oh, don't worry. I have my ways..."

Lenore walked out of her bedroom and ignored the laughter of her mother that followed her into the hall.

She walked down the stairs and saw Lee Adama waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He was the perfect finish to her outfit. Sure, up until three days ago he'd been attending with Kara Thrace, but when Lenore had decided he'd be the perfect date, she'd put an end to that quickly.

Then she noticed her brothers, and their starting to show wives, walking out into the foyer. She did not like the glint in her brothers' eyes.

"You all now you don't live here anymore, right?"

"Well we wouldn't want to miss our favourite little sister-"

"I'm your only sister." She bit out.

"-heading out for her first high school dance, now would we?"

She looked at Lee. "Let's leave, shall we?"

He offered her his arm, and she took it. The flashes caught her off guard, and she turned to scowl at them. More flashes. She left them without another word.

"She really is so easy to tease."

"What's up with that guy? He's so..."

"Bland."

"First boyfriends are always nondescript." Violet commented with a dismissive wave.

"Hey." Harry raised a brow indignantly.

"Sorry." Violet snickered. "Forgot about that."

Only a couple of hours later...

They heard the elevator ping, and Blair looked over at Chuck, confused, and with senses tingling. They weren't expecting company, their sons and their wives were already here, and it was far too early to expect Lenore home. Getting up they reached the foyer as Lenore walked off the elevator with Chloe and Ralph following closely behind her.

Her dark hair hung in dank, wet chunks around her shoulders. A men's jacket was around her shoulders, held closed by her own tight grip on the lapels, but as her dress spilled out from underneath it, it was clear to see the pale dress had been horribly stained. Ruined. Mascara ran down her face, but it didn't look like it was from tears. It looked liked she'd been caught in a tidal wave.

"Lenore...?" Chuck managed to ask, deeply concerned.

"I'm fine." She said cooly and continued to walk straight upstairs with her head held high.

Chuck and Blair looked to their niece and Ralph. The two teens looked concerned for their friend.

"Lee's _very_ resent ex-girlfriend and her friends... may have taken exception to he and Lenore being at the dance together..."

"Or how Lenore got him to dump his girlfriend and to take her to the dance instead..." Ralph clarified.

"What was this guy's name again?" Harry asked pointedly. Bart nodded along with this.

"Thank you for seeing her home." Chuck dismissed the two teens. Once they were gone, he looked to his wife. Her eyes were already on his.

"I've got this." Blair gently touched Chuck's arm.

Blair went to her daughter's room and saw the ruined dress lying in a pile on the floor. She heard the water running in the bathroom and followed the sound. She carefully pushed the door open and paused, looking at her little girl. Lenore say in the centre of the bathtub, knees brought to her chest as she silently watched the steaming water flow from the tap.

Wordlessly Blair walked in a sat on the edge of the tub. She picked up the ornate, nozzled hose and turned it on. Lenore tilted her head back, and her mother began to gently soak her daughter's hair. With that done, Blair put shampoo in her palm and then began working it through the sticky locks. She spent long minutes lathering Lenore's hair, and massaging her skull.

Only once her hair had been rinsed, and she sat in a very nearly overflowing tub, did she speak.

"I don't mean to be a bad person." Lenore said with her chin still resting on her knees.

"You're not." Blair said simply.

The night had started out alright. She'd met up with Chloe and they'd started dancing with a bunch of other girls, only going back to their dates when slow songs came on. As Rihanna began to play over the dance, and Lenore moved in Lee's arms, her eyes sought out Ralph. He danced with his date. She danced with hers.

Lee was perfect but boring, she told his ex-girlfriend the same thing. She also may have mentioned that the other girl was welcome to have him back after the dance. It was shortly after that that the girl and her friends lifted and dumped the whole massive punch bowl over Lenore's head. It took Lenore several seconds to even register what had happened. The whole dance seemed to to wild. It took her several more to realize that the punch had also made her dress nearly see-through. Her eyes went wide and before she could even wrap her arms around her chest, Ralph had whipped the formal jacket from his body to drape it around her. Shielding her.

Chloe and Ralph had stayed by her side as she walked out of the room. She refused to run. When she passed the snickering group of girls, she didn't shy away, but looked them straight in the eyes. She'd left the dance. She'd made it home.

"Everyone at school hates me."

"I'm sure that's not true." Blair soothed as she stroked Lenore's hair from crown to tip.

"I'm not like Chloe... and I was okay with that. But now... I don't even have them. They're never around. They've just... made new friends, and I've tried to fit in with them... but it just doesn't work." Lenore said sadly. Since she was throwing herself a pity party, she didn't think about how she really hadn't tried all that hard to fit in with the groups of people Chloe and Ralph had brought in.

"My girl." Blair whispered, hugging Lenore to her side, and not caring about the destruction of her silk dress. "One of the things that make Waldorf Women so special is that we don't fit in everywhere..."

Blair lifted Lenore's chin, and looked into eyes the exact colour of Chuck's. She smiled. "My poor baby... You've been double whammied. You are a Waldorf woman... but you are also very much your father's daughter. Sometimes you remind me so much of him when he was younger..."

"Wasn't Daddy a creepy loner before you?"

"I may have over-exaggerated at times..." Blair rolled her eyes. Well at least Lenore had been paying attention over the years. "Before me... He cared about, and I quote, 'Money, the pleasures money brought him, and... Uncle Nate'."

"Ah." Lenore reasoned. "Daddy's original Bro-mance."

Blair smiled at a little of Lenore's spunk coming back to her. "You may have a longer list than him... But you're still selective. It's just who you are."

Lenore didn't fully know what to make of that, and she looked away, lost in thought. Blair knew that look too. It was a Bass look. The one they all wore when they were figuring things out. Blair pulled out a large fluffy towel, and held it open for Lenore to step into. When she did, Blair wrapped it around her snuggly, an she pulled her into a hug.

Twenty minutes later, after tucking Lenore in, Blair wandered back downstairs. The boys and their girls were gone, but Chuck was waiting for her on the couch. As she sat down beside him, he handed her the drink he'd readied for her.

"I have a feeling..." Blair finished her drink in one shot. "That your daughter's teen years are going to make my sons' look like a cake walk."

Early the next morning, before her parents had even left their rooms, Lenore dressed, popped into the kitchen and headed out of the apartment. The night doorman was still on duty as she crossed the lobby, and she nodded to him absently as she passed through. She knew he'd be getting the second call when her parents found her gone.

She'd twisted her hair into a thick braid that hung down her back. The wind pulled pieces loose, and they blew around her face as she walked the short distance to the park. At this time of the morning there were only runners panting down the paths, and she was more or less alone as she took a seat on her favourite bench. It was so early, in fact, that there was a duck to be seen. She ripped off pieces and tossed them ahead of her anyway, hoping maybe the over fed creatures would be drawn out. No dice.

"Figures." Lenore muttered.

She thought about what her mother had said to her last night, and she couldn't argue on most points. She did tend to be uninterested in the masses. What she was tired of ignoring was the fact that the two people she did consider her friends, the two people she did care about... were gone more than they were around lately. She missed Chloe. One of her perfectly manicured fingernails dug into the wood of the bench. She missed Ralph.

"I do not miss him." She told herself as she scowled and hurled a chuck of bread.

"Wow." Said a familiar voice behind her. "I'd hate to be him."

Lenore didn't bother to turn around, and wasn't surprised when Ralph sat down on the bench beside her.

"I wasn't talking to you." She said with disdain and turned away from him.

"Ah. You were having a conversation with yourself." He nodded, and handed her one of the two coffee cups in his hands. "Good to know last night didn't rock that ever charming personality of yours."

"You mean my public water-boarding?" Her lip curled in disgust.

"Punch-boarding." He corrected. "But yes."

Her eyes narrowed on him. "It sounds like you think I deserved it."

Ralph shook his head slowly. "I never said that."

Her brows shot together. She didn't like the note of sympathy in his tone. "Why are you here?"

"Because we're friends."

"Really? Haven't seen you around much." She shrugged with indifference.

"Just because I'm not in front of you, doesn't mean I'm not your friend."

"Do you kiss all your friends?" She cut to the chase, finally voicing the taboo subject.

"Lillian Eleanor-"

"We're friends. You said it." She cut him off. "Just because you're a guy, and I'm a girl... doesn't mean we have to be more than that. It also doesn't mean that I want us to be more than that."

He looked at her like she was nuts. "How do you know? How do you know it wouldn't make things even better?"

"You regularly go out of your way to tell me I'm being a brat." She pointed out.

"Maybe that's part of our charm..."

"So, you want to kiss me?" She said with derision.

"Not so much at the moment." Ralph bit back with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, I never want you to kiss me again." She declared haughtily.

"Fine!" He said sharply. "It wasn't that great anyway."

"Thanks." She shrugged like she didn't care.

He got up quickly. "Goodbye, Lenore."

She didn't say anything, not letting even a flicker pass over her face, despite the fact that it felt like he'd just kicked her in the gut just because he'd used her chosen name. She watched him walk away. She watched him toss his half empty cup towards the trash, without even looking. She knew it wasn't going to go in. Just as she knew he'd double back to pick it up and put it in the garbage properly. She knew his walk. Knew his gait. She knew him. She knew she should call him back... but instead she watched him walk away.

TahDAH! Thank you! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It really helped me out.

Also a big thank you to Ellen for giving this chapter a read through, because I wasn't happy with the flow. Oh, and a BIG thanks to her for convincing me to open my drain, by assuring me the centipede would be gone. She's a smart woman. She was right.

Fyi... I've been watching way to many EJ and Sami clips on YouTube. The guy who plays EJ should be in the dictionary under 'handsome'. He's just very... handsome.


	83. Chapter 83

Hello! Okay, so first off, just to give everybody a heads up... from what I understand, when I posted chapter 82... Nobody got an email notification from FF. Sorry about that! ... I don't know why I just apologized? It's not like ME personally forgot to send people a notification... must be the Canadian in me. I also end almost all my emails with, "Thank you". So if you think you may have missed the last chapter, take a peek to see if you've missed it. Here we go...

Blair and Serena walked through the aisles of Bergdorf, as they had done a million times over their lives. And just like their first walks, they drew people's eyes to them. They were still beautiful, but more than that it was the light they had. They laughed and shone, and looked to all the world as the pinnacle of the Upper East Side. The best of the best.

Blair stopped at a display of earrings, holding one up to her ear and twisting her head to the side.

"Those are cute!" Serena chirped, pulling a hat over her head and seeing it on her own head before tossing it aside. "Are you going to get them?"

"I don't buy my own jewelry. That's what I got married for." Blair said with her nose in the air. "Well, that and the amazing sex."

Serena cringed and threw a scarf at her friend. "You'd think after a few decades I'd have gotten used to your sex comments about my brother, but... NOPE. Still gross."

Blair raised a brow innocently. "So you don't want to hear the real reason I was late meeting you this morning?"

Serena fully extended her arm, pointing away. "You know, one day I'm just going to walk away and you'll never see me again."

"You know you love me."

"XOXO?"

"Do not finish that line, or I'll be the one that walks away." Blair warned with an edge.

Serena launched herself at Blair, laughing and hugging her. "Gossip Girl!" She then sang loudly in her best friend's ear.

Halfheartedly struggling to get away, Blair batted at Serena. "I hate you."

Serena smacked a huge lipstick kiss on Blair's cheek, and ran away laughing.

"UGH!" Blair wiped at her cheek, turning to a mirror to make sure her face was perfect and Serena free, before following.

She found Serena standing in front of a mirror, holding a short pink dress in front of her body and turning side to side. Blair's head cocked to the side and she spoke as if making a casual observation, but drilled a point home in a way that only she did to Serena Van Der Woodsen. "What a lovely dress. It will look perfect... on Chloe."

"I'm not the one that will be a grandmother soon..."

Blair smiled warmly. "I'm okay with that." Then her eyes focused again. "And that dress is still to young for you."

Serena frowned, then turned to a waiting sales person, and smiled brightly. "I'll take it."

"Yes, Ms. Van Der Woodsen." The woman took the dress to have it bagged, and then looked to Blair. "Mrs. Bass, it's so nice to see you today. Are you meeting your daughters-in-law?"

"No. What? Why?" Blair snapped quickly.

The woman looked confused and she stumbled over her words. "It's just that they're both here..."

"Where?!" Blair ordered, her head darted around, searching.

Before the frightened woman could point, Blair spotted Violet and Sarah walking down a main aisle. Blair practically dove behind a rack.

"Why are you hiding fro-" Serena was cut off by Blair grabbing a chunk of her hair, and pulling her down with her.

"They're driving me crazy!" Blair hissed.

Serena rolled her eyes. "They can't be that bad."

Blair looked at Serena pointedly. "Okay, Sarah can't be that bad."

"You would think, but no. They've both lost their minds, and we're not even half way through yet. Violet regularly throws up... wherever is handy. And I love my son, but he's never had the strongest of dispositions, so then he throws up."

"That's not so bad..."

"It gets worse." Blair deadpanned. "Violet's feet hurt? Bart's feet hurt. Violet has a craving for pickled eggs? Bart has a craving for pickled eggs. Last week they both stayed in bed for two days, because of 'fatigue'."

"Well..."

"And Sarah and Harry? ALL they can talk about is what size the baby is today, what it was yesterday, and what it will be tomorrow. It's starting to make me question Harry's intelligence. It's a baby. It's most likely going to come out the same 6 to 8 pounds as almost every other one in the world."

Blair's eyes widened fractionally as they heard the young women's voices. Blair looked at the sales person, held a finger to her lips, and the drew that finger across her neck in warning. They stayed frozen until the voices faded away.

"Can we get up now?"

"No." Blair shook her head. "Start crawling Van Der Woodsen."

"Blair! You have got to be kidding me!"

"When I tell you your botox looks natural, that's when I'm kidding you." Blair shoved her in the shoulder. "Let's go!"

The women started to crawl, on hands and knees between the racks.

"I am getting too old for this."

"And yet you think you can pull off that dress..."

Back at home...

Lenore lay on her bed, her laptop open and playing the 1974 version of the Great Gatsby, when there was a knock at her door. She paused the film as she called for them to come in. Her oldest brother strode in and shut the door behind him. Without a word he bounced down on the bed beside her.

"Hey, sister dear." He looked at her screen. "Ah. Gatsby. You know they have a new one with Leonardo DiCaprio."

"Yes, and he's like a million years old."

"So is Robert Redford." Harry pointed out teasingly.

"Do you still live here?"

"They haven't finished the renovations yet."

"You'd think money would buy speed..."

"You're going to miss us when we're gone..." He said with a smile.

"That's highly doubtful, considering you'll be living only several yards below us."

She rested her head against her brother's shoulder. "Maybe I'll miss you... a little bit."

He turned his head and kissed the top of her dark hair. "So much that you'll babysit for free."

"Nice try." She scoffed with a smirk. "There's not enough money in the world to get me to do that."

"And here everybody thinks you're the most industrious of our parent's brood."

She smiled and sighed. They lay for a few moments in silence.

"So, are you going to talk to Chloe again?"

"I'm not not talking to her."

"That makes total sense." Harry mocked her.

"I haven't publicly said I'm not talking to her." Lenore clarified reasonably. "I'm just not returning any of her calls, emails, or texts.

"But to be clear... You're not not talking to her, correct?"

"Correct." Lenore nodded.

"Good." Harry smiled as he jumped up from the bed. "Because she's standing outside your door."

"What?" Lenore sat straight up in her bed.

"I love you!" He said with all the charm he had.

"You disgust me."

"So do vegans. I'll live." He pulled the door open before she could say more.

Lenore got up from her bed as a tentative Chloe stepped into the room.

"Hey, Lenore..."

Lenore turned her back to her cousin, and started neatening her already tidy desk.

"Hello." Lenore responded with all the warmth of ice.

"So... I take it from your complete lack of communication... you're mad at me."

"I wouldn't say complete, given that I'm am communicating with you at this current moment." Lenore said off handedly as she picked up an issue of The Economist and started flipping through it.

"If I left and called you, would you pick up?" Chloe held her ground.

"I'm not psychic. I don't know what I may or may not do in the future." Lenore shrugged as she contemplated an article. "Life really is a mystery..."

"I know I haven't been around a lot lately-"

"Really?" She mused sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed."

"I'm sorry." Chloe looked at her best friend with watery blue eyes. "I just..."

Lenore was still turned away, for all appearances she was engrossed in the article, but really she was paused. Listening. Listening for whatever it was that was tied up in Chloe.

"Lenore... I like girls." Chloe finally got out.

Lenore rolled her eyes, misunderstanding. "So do. Girls rule. Feminism, rah, rah, rah."

"No... Not like... Lenore, I _like_ girls."

"Oh." Lenore said first... and then what Chloe was actually saying sunk in. She spun around with wide eyes to look at her best friend. "Ohhhhhhh!"

Chloe nodded, waiting. Lenore's head cocked to the side, and then it looked like a lightbulb went on in her head. "Actually, once you think about it... it kind makes a lot of sense." She meant all the queues she was now remembering seeing from Chloe, but she teased with a smirk. "You really do love field hockey..."

Chloe burst out laughing, and threw a pillow at her friend. "Shut up! This is serious!"

They spent the next two hours talking non-stop, until finally they were exhausted and lay on the floor of Lenore's bedroom, staring up at the vaulted ceiling.

"So... Can you be a lesbian... and be around more?" Lenore had to ask. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, and yes." Chloe promised. "I promise to not drop away again."

A smile spread over Chloe's face and her head fell to the side to look at her cousin. "Besides, you need me. I go away a little bit and the next thing I know... Ralph is brokenhearted all over St. Jude's."

"He's a hormonal teenage boy. I'm not responsible for his moods."

"Says the hormonal teenage girl who freaked out after he kissed her."

"HE TOLD YOU?!"

"I SAW YOU!"

"Oh!" Lenore scowled. "So you saw the way he accosted me and yet you did nothing to stop him?!"

Chloe shrugged with a smile. "It didn't seem like you were protesting that much... Well, until you, once again... freaked out."

"I did not freak out." Lenore insisted. "I merely wanted to ensure our friendship was intact."

"So he's just your friend?"

"Yes."

"And you don't feel anything other than friendship for him?"

"No."

"Even though he's wicked hot?"

"How would you know?" Lenore couldn't help but snicker with teasing, twinkling eyes.

Chloe threw a stuffed cat at her. Lenore hurled it back at her, and Chloe caught it, playing with its plush paws. "...Liz said he looks like a young Harrison from Scandal..."

"Liz? What does Liz know? Is she some kind of mental health expert? She thinks Uncle Nate and your Aunt Jenny would make a great couple!"

Chloe's smile got wider as her best friend's voice started going up as she spoke.

"You like him." She spoke knowingly of her cousin.

"I do not!"

Chloe started nodding and bouncing. "You do! You need to call him! Talk to him!"

"I do not!"

Chloe's eyes darted to Lenore's bedside table, and the cell phone that rested there.

"Chloe..." Lenore cautioned as both girls started to rise, like panthers on the plain, to their feet.

The spark in Chloe's eyes was like a go signal, and both girl's dove for the cell. Chloe's long legs gave her the advantage, and she grabbed the phone and dashed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Lenore pounded on the door. "CHLOE! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING! I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! REMEMBER WHAT I DID TO THE DANCE GIRLS? THEIR HAIR WILL NEVER GROW BACK THE SAME!"

Lenore heard her bedroom door open and without turning around she yelled at the intruder. "Did I say to come in?"

"No, but since I own the door, the room and the house you live in... I didn't feel the need to wait."

Lenore froze and turned around with a flush creeping over her cheeks. "Mother! You're welcome here anytime!"

"Lenore, is everything alright in here?"

"Of course! Chloe's just constipated. You know how she gets!" The palm of her hand landed loudly on her bathroom door, a wordless curse against her soon-to-be dead best friend.

Blair's eyes narrowed fractionally. "This isn't another... situation is it? We just paid for all the pain, suffering and wigs of the girls from the dance."

"I assure you Mother, everything is fine." She smiled widely, and continued to do so until her suspicious mother finally left the room.

A few moments later, her bathroom door cracked open and Chloe peaked out and warned. "If you try to kill me... Our grandmother will not be pleased."

"What did you do?"

Chloe rushed past Lenore and beelined for her closet. "We don't have time for questions! We need to figure out what you're going to wear?"

"To what?!"

"To meet Ralph in the park in half an hour!"

"Why would I be meeting Ralph in the park in half an hour?"

"Because you just texted him and asked him to do it!"

"You are my least favourite person in the world right now." Lenore half growled.

Forty-five minutes later, Lenore sat on her bench in the park, cursing her cousin for landing her in this situation, and cursing herself for even sitting here in the first place. She waited another five minutes, and was just about to get up, when Ralph slid onto the bench beside her. Suddenly every word Lenore had ever learned flew out of her head. Her mouth almost gaped open, but she slammed her jaw shut, clenching her teeth tightly together. Minutes ticked by.

"You know when you text someone and ask them to meet you to talk... it works best if you actually, you know, talk." Ralph said coolly as he looked out over the pond.

She too kept her eyes out on the water, until she finally cleared her throat. "What if... I changed my mind?"

"What if I changed mine?" He replied, not mistaking what she was referring to.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She frowned as she finally turned sharply to look at him.

"It means, that you, Lenore Bass, don't always get everything you want." He met her gaze and spoke with an edge to his voice.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"I think I must have, but it's come back to me."

"So you just had a psychotic break, kissed me, and now you're just over it?"

"You're right about one thing. I must have been psychotic to ever have thought I had any real feelings for you."

She half screamed and kicked him in the shin.

"OW!" He hopped back from her. "You're such a brat!"

"And you're an ass!"

He looked like he was about to scream some more, but then he shut his eyes, and took a deep, calming breath. When he opened his eyes, they were cool again. A slight, polite smile curved his lips. "Well, as always, it's been lovely... but I have to be going."

"To bowl?" She mocked.

"Yes, in fact, to bowl... with my date." He smiled easily.

"Your date?" She raised a brow.

"My date." He confirmed.

"Your date?"

"We've settled that. Her name is Elizabeth and I'm meeting her here..." He looked around and smiled as his eyes landed on the ringletted blonde who was waving at him from further up the path. "Now."

Lenore spun around and saw a woman wearing high waisted, brown slacks and a pretty floral tank. Lenore hated the girl instantly... but secretly loved her outfit. She was further caught off guard when Ralph brushed past her to hurry away, without glancing back even once. Lenore landed with a thump on the bench.

"What the hell just happened?" She asked a duck, flabbergasted.

She sat there a while longer, not knowing quite what to do next, but then she heard footsteps coming up behind her and she smiled. "I knew you'd be back."

She turned around... and for the first time... she was actually surprised. It wasn't Ralph.

The smile fell from her face. "Can I help you?"

The handsome teenage boy smiled at her. "Actually, I was going to ask you if you needed anything. You seem upset."

She suddenly returned his smile. "That was nice of you."

He sat down beside her, and offered her his hand. "Sequoia... But everybody calls me Coy."

She took his hand, shaking it, and gave him her most winning smile. "Lenore."

TahDAH! Okay, so you know when your mom's right it bites you on the ass? She very nicely bought be a bottle of Tide (so that I wouldn't smell funny and have friends), and I was putting it in my purse. She raised a brow and was like, "Do you think you should do that?" TOTAL mom words that really meant, "You SHOULDN'T put that in your purse." I basically just told her it was fine. Yeah... you know what's coming, right? Cut to an hour later... and the straps of my bag snapped and it hit the sidewalk. Nards. So I bought a new purse with a Christmas gift certificate. My precious hoarders, do you see how that was done? I only buy something to when the previous item has gone kaput. And I bought something superfluous. A pretty scarf to tie off the purse. When I got it home and then was walking around with it... I realized... It smelled bad. Very bad. It's like... I'm being punished for my consumerism (shakes head). Or it just means I need to wash it.

PS-I'm 90 persent sure I messed up names at some point. Fingers crossed I didn't?


	84. Chapter 84

Hello! I got a couple of questions regarding when ITY is set/the timeline of ITY, and I thought I'd just try to explain myself? This might be weird but... you all know I'm like the laziest fic writer on here, right? I say this as a way to explain the wacky ITY timeline. Basically... it's always the present. I think the story spans... almost 30 years now, but it basically takes place in whatever moment I'm writing in. While I love sci-fi and fantasy... I had no interest in making up the future. I love Chuck and Blair, and I love writing their story, their kids and their kids' stories. I know I could have Bass Industries launch the first luxury hotel in space... but that's not the story I like to write in ITY. Does that make any sense? Forgive me an my sloth ways? Here we go...

Lenore and Chloe walked into the courtyard of their school for lunch, and Chloe waved at a few people, while Lenore scanned the crowd. Her eyes landed on Ralph, who was sitting at a table with a few of his friends from the Debate Club. She hipped checked her cousin to get her attention, and then walked to a table a short metre from Ralph's. Easily in his sight range and within his earshot. The senior sitting there was given a single look by Lenore, and then grabbed their things and quickly scampered away before she had even reached the table. Lenore slid into his seat, because it offered up her best strategic angle towards her audience, and seconds later Chloe plopped down across from her best friend.

"Why can't we sit in the sun?" Chloe whined, as she looked longingly over at the many empty tables with direct sunlight.

Lenore rolled her eyes, not liking that her cousin's words could tip Ralph off to their specific table selection. "The sun ages you, and I know you don't sunblock efficiently, Ms. SPF8 at the beach." She waved her spoon at the tanner. "You'll thank me when we're 40."

Chloe just rolled her eyes and took out her thermos, that was full of her Grandpa's famous chili. Lenore cringed as she opened her container of fruit and yogurt. Barely waiting until they were settled, Lenore's leaned in with a smile.

"So what did you do this weekend?"

Chloe looked at her like she was nuts, because they told each other everything as it happened, so there was never really a need to ask about the past. "Saturday, mom and I went to the spa, and I spent Sunday cooking chili with my dad and Gramps. You know tha-"

She was cut off as she was kicked in the shin. "Ow!"

Lenore sent her a pointed look, which Chloe now quickly caught onto. She put on an excited giggle as she asked Lenore. "So, how was your weekend?"

"Chloe, it was amazing!" Lenore's sparkly laugh filled the courtyard, and her gleam came to her eye as she saw Ralph ever so slightly cock his head towards them. "Remember that boy I met in the park last weekend? The genius from Stuyvesant? He's a Senior, but he's only just turned 17, because they skipped him a grade? Probably the best guy I've ever met?!"

"I totally remember you telling me ALL those things!" Chloe played along. "Did you see him again?"

Lenore proceeded to spin a romantic tale about their walks through Central Park, a movie, two lunches and a dinner. It was one of her best performances to date, and she took careful note of every reaction Ralph pretended not to have to her words. Mission accomplished.

What wasn't a part of the mission was what happened at the end of the school day. Lenore and Chloe had just emerged from the school, arms linked, and laughing to each other when Lenore spotted a scowling Ralph leaning against the wall of St. Jude's. She shot him a nasty look for whatever it was he had on his mind, and then turned her head away in a snub. It was then she saw Coy standing by the front gates of the school, and her feet faltered slightly on the stairs. Chloe steadied her, and gave her a confused look before she followed Lenore's gaze.

"Is that him?" Chloe asked in awe. "He's beautiful."

"You've picked a team. No takebacks." Lenore teased absently, still surprised by the boy who was smiling at her and holding two cups of coffee. "This is too perfect..."

Lenore quickly disengaged herself from Chloe, promised to call her later, and added a little skip to her step, knowing she had an audience.

"Surprise." Coy smiled. "I thought maybe you'd like an escort home?"

She gave him her most dazzling smile. "It's a nice day... how about a walk through the park?"

Chloe was waiting for her best friend when Lenore arrived home from the park a couple of hours later.

"Wait... So this guy actually exists?!" Chloe sat on her knees her fingers rapidly twisting locks of her long hair, round and around. "So you, Lenore Bass, are dating someone?"

Lenore's eyes shot skyward. This was the third time she'd recounted the story to Chloe. It didn't seem to be sinking in. "Yes, he exists. Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to make up a quality boy that I couldn't produce when called upon? Please. And why so much shock and awe?" Lenore harped disgruntledly. "Yes. I'm a fifteen year old girl. It's not completely illogical for me to be dating someone."

Chloe seemed to mull this over. "When you say it like that, it makes sense, but then... there's the fact that-"

"Yes?"

"You're Lenore Bass. Chronologically I know you're right... but I've had some reservation. Maybe because I heard my Dad once ask my mom if you were a Cylon?"

Lenore's eyes narrowed. Chloe cringed at the warning. "So... You two have really been hanging out?"

Lenore shrugged as she kept her attention on the business section of the Times. "It's been nice. He's smart, easy to be around."

"Oh, the passion of young love..." Chloe teased as she yanked the paper away and bopped Lenore on the head. "I can tell that there's more. I know you well, cousin dear."

"I may have left out something..." Lenore looked away as she got up from the bed and walked to her vanity to check her hair.

"What did you not tell him?" Chloe asked, suddenly scared. "That you have diabolical focus, and will do whatever it takes to get what you want?"

"You say that as if it's a bad thing?" Lenore looked at her cousin innocently in the reflection of the mirror.

"Seriously. What have you not told him?"

"My last name."

"What?!"

Lenore flinched at Chloe's pitch and sensor.

"So he has no idea that your family owns half of Manhattan?" Chloe asked as she swung her legs over the side of the bed to sit up.

"Nope." Lenore picked up her comb and carefully ran it through the ends of her hair.

"Wow..." Her brow furrowed. "Can I ask why? You usually, and by usually I mean always, love being Lenore Bass."

"It's true." Lenore nodded and her tone softened. "But it's kind of a nice change... to know that he just likes me... for me."

The next day Chloe had just shoved her books in her locker, and shut the wooden door to lock it... and was surprised by Ralph leaning up against the bank of lockers, looking at her expectantly.

"She's not serious." He jumped in.

"She is and they really like each other." Chloe said nonchalantly as she slipped her key into her bag.

"I'm sure the kid from public school loves dating Manhattan's reigning princess." He fell into step beside her as she made her way down the hall to her next class. Chloe stopped dead in her tracks.

"First off, ouch. I live on this island too, you know." Chloe teased. "Second, for your information, he doesn't even know she's a Bass."

"What?" Ralph's eyes narrowed in incredulity. "What do you mean he doesn't know she's a Bass?"

"She hasn't told him her last name." Chloe started walking again. "I think it's kind of romantic."

"Or completely improbable." He mused as his brain worked fast.

"Whatever, Mr. Jealousy." Chloe giggled.

He caught her arm gently as she moved to open the door to her English class. "Chloe, I'm serious. You don't think that's weird?"

Chloe heaved a giant sigh and looked skyward. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Doing what?" Ralph was confused.

"I am under two codes right now. The Best Friend Code and the Cousin Code." Chloe laid it out for him. "And this line of questioning borders on breaking both. So if you'll excuse me I have to go to Creative Writing and make my literary father proud."

Ralph tried one more time. "I just think it's odd that he's never seen her. Her parents are two of the most high profile people in the city. She was on the cover of Time Magazine when her mom was shot. SNL has a series of sketches based on her parents, and by extension her family."

"You know, in my opinion... Selena Gomez just didn't capture Lenore fully."

"I'm just saying that something is not right with that." He stressed before turning and walking away.

Chloe watched him for a moment, and her brow creased in thought. "Crap."

A couple of days later, Lenore and Coy were walking through the park, hand in hand.

"You're quiet today." Coy hinted.

Lenore shrugged. She didn't want to tell him that her cousin had been working her last nerve over him not knowing who she was, or as Chloe phrased it, him claiming to not know who she was. She stopped walking, and so did he. "Coy, there's something I need to talk to you about."

She noticed his attention was focused over her shoulder, and her eyes narrowed. "Coy."

"Sorry." He shook his head as if to clear it. "There's just a woman with a parasol and dressed like a flower waving at us..."

She shut her eyes and cringed. She didn't need to turn around, but she shot a glance over her shoulder to confirm her suspicions.

"Lenore!" Violet shrilled, and waved frantically.

Without missing a beat, Lenore grabbed Coy's arm and started dragging him away at a pace that was nearly a run.

"Did you see that?" Violet huffed as she took the lemonade her husband handed her. "I think your sister just snubbed us."

Bart didn't respond. He was too busy snapping a picture of the teens on his phone.

Lenore arrived home and hated the ding of their elevator. She tossed her light jacket on a bench, and beelined for the stairs. Her foot had barely touched upon the bottom step when she heard her name called from the living room.

"Lenore, can we speak with you for a moment?" Her mother had phrased it like a question but Lenore knew that it wasn't.

"Mother. Daddy." She greeted her parents with her most charming smile as stood in the doorway. She gave them her most charming smile.

Her parents sat, side by side, on the couch. Blair shot a look at the high backed chair across from them, and Lenore took the hint.

"So... Care to tell us who your friend is?" Blair asked with a raised brow, as she slid an 8x10 blown up photo of her and Coy at the park across the coffee table.

"For a guy that doesn't talk, Bart is such a tattle tail." Lenore muttered under her breath, flopping back a little in her chair.

"We don't keep secrets in this family." Blair said primly.

Lenore nearly snorted in response.

"Are you dating this boy?"

"Yes." Lenore said defensively.

"Lovely?" Blair nodded. "How does this Saturday at eight sound for dinner?"

Lenore made a face, but then flashed her mother a fake smile. "That sounds perfect. We'll be here."

A few hours later Lenore was reading in her room when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Bart walked through her doorway and didn't stop till he was sprawled across the foot of her bed.

"Hate me?" He asked as pulled an envelope out of his breast pocket and handed it to her.

"Depends on how much is in here." She said, not looking at him as she scanned the check he'd placed in there. She nodded in acceptance. "It's acceptable. I don't hate you."

He smiled for a moment at her, but then frowned as Blue hopped up on the bed and started towards him. They have been on tenuous terms since Blue's first hairball incident in front of Bart.

His disdain made Lenore smile. "You better love Blue. I've left him to you in my will."

Bart shot her a sharp look, making it clear he didn't think her comment was funny.

Lenore just laughed and picked up her cat, scratching him behind his ears. Bart came over and kissed his sister on the top of her head, giving her a pointed look.

"I love you too." Lenore smiled at him.

The next afternoon Lenore sat on her bench in the park, and her foot tapped impatiently as she waited for Coy. She'd texted him to meet her here and he was already five minutes late.

"Hey, Leni." He smiled in greeting as he sat down beside her, leaning in and kissing her softly on the lips.

Just before his lips touched hers, she cringed, hating the cute-ifying of her name. She relaxed at his kiss. It was nice. Gentle. Undemanding. She pulled back, and looked at him. "There's something I need to tell you."

She then launched into a quick breakdown of her full info, and by the time she was done, she expected him to be stunned. She was confused over the look that flashed over his face, but then he stood up and walked to stand looking over the water of the pond. She stood up and followed him, stopping just behind him.

"So you're..."

"Yes."

"And your are..."

"Yes."

"I see...

"Are you mad?"

Finally he turned around and she relaxed as he smiled at her. "I'm not mad."

"And you'll come to dinner Saturday?"

"I wouldn't miss the chance to meet... my girlfriend's parents." He held his arms open to her and she slid into his hug.

Coy went the dinner that, despite Lenore's loud protests, included her brothers and their wives. To Coy's credit, he held his own against their onslaught of questions, and was polite and gentlemanly the whole time.

The Basses hated him.

Late in the night Chuck lay awake, staring up at the ceiling and thinking. He shifted in the bed, but Blair didn't even stir beside him. He turned on the light, but realized that was a useless action given her standard silk sleep mask. So finally he dipped his fingers into the glass of water on his nightstand and flicked drops of the water onto her face. Blair lurched awake with a start.

"Chuck?" She gasped, pulling the mask from her face.

"Oh, you're awake?" He asked innocently as he watched her wipe the drops from her face, still slightly disoriented.

"I wonder why..." Blair drawled as she pulled herself up into a seated position.

"I don't like that kid." Chuck told her as he shifted to indicate he wanted her against him.

"I got that impression from the four words you said to him at dinner. How Original Bart of you..." Blair teased as she curled against his side, resting her head on his warm shoulder. "He's her first boyfriend. No one marries their first boyfriend."

A still tingle inducing smirk came to her husband's lips. "But some do marry their firsts..."

"Do you really want to take this topic in that direction?" Blair raised a brow to him.

Chuck realized and cringed, returning to the first subject on his mind. "Where's Ralph? I've been preparing for Ralph.

Blair patted his chest as if to sooth him. "I know, darling."

"I like Ralph..."

"Should I be jealous?" Blair deadpanned and smiled when her husband chuckled. Then she sighed and snuggled closer, her eyes growing heavy. "You like Ralph. I like Ralph... and Lenore likes Ralph, but the path to great romance is not always smooth..."

Chuck opened his mouth to say more, but she felt her body completely relax against him. He glanced down to see she had fallen back asleep. He looked at her face, still stunningly beautiful after all these years. He leaned in and gently kissed her brow.

He tried to tell himself that he had nothing to be concerned about regarding Lenore and her boyfriend. He'd had the boy investigated by his top PI, and nothing unusual had come up, but something niggled in his gut, and Chuck Bass was a man who trusted his instincts.

TahDAH! Do you ever expect that someone has secretly broken into you apartment, and the only evidence of this is that the cap is closed on the dish washing liquid? No? Just me?

I think there was something else I was going to say to you all... but I've forgotten? I love whales? No... that wasn't it... even though I do! I LOVE WHALES! Umm... Chuck and Blair are my greatest TV ship ever? You knew that, right? Maribells should get her ass in gear and write the next SoL and TUF chapters ASAP? We all knew that. I can't remember. I'll just say... YOU ALL LOOK SO PRETTY! And let that be it.


	85. Chapter 85

Hello! Okay I have to give props to "Please Consider", because that was the NICEST way I've ever been told to stop writing. Are you Canadian? ha. Okay, so I thought I'd said it, but maybe I hadn't or maybe I just need to be more clear about ITY. My bad, so I'll lay it out... I am writing the story I've always had in my head for Lenore, wrapping up everyone in the way I've pretty much always planed to and then it's "the end" for ITY. I can't imagine this taking more that 6-8 chapters. I've had this same plan for a while, and I'm sticking to it. So for everyone who thinks I've gone on too long, you're welcome! To everyone who's enjoyed, and continues to enjoy my writing, I'm sorry! Here we go...

Chuck sat at his desk going over some BI business with a good deal of focus. While he always applied himself when he worked, he currently had added incentive. He shifted in his seat as he remembered the very, very tiny bag, from a very exclusive specialty store Blair had shown him yesterday. She'd followed it with a sultry look over her shoulder as she'd walked into her closet, and she told him that was all she'd be packing for their weekend away. Chuck tossed the papers aside and took a deep drink from his scotch glass. He'd wanted an upcoming deal put to bed before Thursday, because Friday morning he was kidnapping his wife. Well, maybe 'kidnapping' wasn't the right word, since she knew about it. However she didn't know where they were going, and she'd already tried to seduce their destination out of him twice. He smiled as he looked forward to her making other attempts over the next few days till their departure.

"Daddy?"

Chuck looked up with a smile, it grew at the sight of the innocent look on her face, and he raised an eyebrow at her. She was wearing a near exact version of the white eyelet dress she wore in his favourite picture of her, the one he kept on his desk right now. Her hair was curled to perfection, she wore very little makeup and flats. His little girl wanted something, and she'd learned how to get what she wanted from the best. Her mother.

"Lenore... How much should I write the check for?" He teased as he leaned back in his chair.

"Daddy!" Lenore gasped as she walked into her father's home office. "Can't I just come in to say hello?"

He pulled her into his lap and hugged her. Chuck bit back a smile at the lip she set to trembling. "I'm sorry. How rude of me."

Lenore sniffed dramatically, and then rested her head on her father's shoulder. "I forgive you, Daddy."

"Thank you." He commented dryly.

"I just love you and Mother so much, I would hate to think either of you would think I just wanted to spend time with you because I wanted something..."

"Perish the thought..." He drawled.

"In fact..." Another great sniff that sent her curls bouncing. "I'm going to miss you both so much while you're away this weekend, I don't know if I can stand it!"

"Mmm hmmm..." He patted her back. This ought to be good. "Whatever can we do to make you feel better...?"

Her wide amber eyes rolled up to meet his. "Well... I wouldn't be so lonely here in this big penthouse, all by myself, if I could have a few people over..."

He rolled his eyes, and had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. "Oh, you mean... A party?"

"Daddy, a party would be so passe!"

He looked at her pointedly.

"I prefer to call it a Masquerade." She blinked at him.

"I see. And what did your Mother have to say about this Masquerade..."

Lenore looked away. "I haven't seen her..."

"Luckily for you, I'm standing right here." Came a cool voice from the doorway.

"Mother!" Lenore spun around and threw a smile on her face.

"My darling daughter." Blair greeted with a knowing look.

With her mother, Lenore knew the best tactic to take. Cut to the chase. "Can I have a party this weekend?"

"Yes." Came the equally clear reply. "Our bedroom is off limits."

Lenore nodded, and ran to her mother to hug her. Still tucked against her mother's side, Lenore looked back at her father with the cool eye of a budding CEO. "Now... about that check you mentioned earlier..."

Two days later, Lenore walked along 5th Avenue, a small smile on her face. Then she felt a familiar body fall into pace with her steps, and she wiped all expression from her face.

"Ralph." She greeted icily.

"Lenore." He nodded, and made a show of looking around. "All alone this afternoon? Your hip seems remarkably empty... especially considering the boyfriend you've had locked to it for the last month."

She glanced up at him with a fake sparkle in her eye. "Why thank you! It's so sweet of you to remember that it's Coy and my one month anniversary! Don't worry, you don't need to get us a gift."

"Damn. I guess I'll have to return the teapot." He mocked her.

She stopped dead in her tracks. "What do you want, Ralph?"

"Nothing." He said stubbornly.

"Good." Lenore started walking again, and didn't look back, merely tossed a decree over her shoulder. "Just to be clear, you're officially not invited to my party!"

Ralph watched her until she was out of sight.

The night of her party Lenore sat at her vanity putting the finishing touches on her makeup. Chloe stood in front of her cousin's full length mirror and surveyed her own look for the night. She smiled happy with how she looked, and grateful she'd inherited her mother's chest.

"So, let me get this straight-" She was cut off by Chloe's giggle, and Lenore waved away her best friend's juvenile reaction. "You're not seeing Elsa anymore?"

Chloe frowned for a second. "No, not after we saw her kissing the salesgirl at Prada... Unless, she was telling the truth and it was just a one time thing to get a discount on a skirt..."

"Please. Once a cheater, always a cheater." Lenore rolled her eyes.

"You don't know that." Chloe, who often tried to see the good in people, said.

"Right. Like I don't know that _your_ mom slept with Uncle Nate when he was dating _my_ mom." Lenore chirped as she hopped up from her seat.

"HOW do you know that?" Chloe asked incredulously, her jaw nearly hitting the ground.

"I read Blair Cornelia Waldorf's diary... well, I got through till she was about 16 before my mother dusted them for prints and busted me. She keeps them in a safety deposit box now, but the day she goes senile, those puppies are all mine..."

"This is why I don't keep a diary..."

"Amen." Lenore agreed.

They were interrupted by a knock on Lenore's door. A minute later both of Lenore's brothers walked lazily into the room. Harry leaned up against Lenore's desk, while Bart lounged across her chaise.

"Are you two lost?" Lenore looked at them innocently. "You don't live here."

Harry smiled like a cheshire cat, and pretended to examine his nails. "Your brother and I are deeply offended that we were not only not invited to you little party, but that we were banned from our own parents' home entirely..."

"You're old." Lenore bit out.

"You're mean." Harry came back with, then he turned and smiled at Bart. "So, Bart? Are you excited rock the house tonight?"

Chloe giggled at the torture that was being inflicted on her best friend. She stopped when Lenore threw a pillow at her.

"Alright." Lenore sighed with impatience. "What's this going to cost me?"

Bart placed his hands against his heart and looked affronted. Then both of her brothers smirked.

"Portraits with the babies after they're born." Harry drilled in.

"Why?" Lenore moaned, and stomped a foot.

"Because it will be adorable... and our wives will love it."

"I'll hate it." She pointed out, and scowled as her brothers just chuckled and shrugged. "You know, I remember when you both used to love me."

Harry shrugged, tousled her hair once before she slapped his hand away, and walked out the door. Bart got up from the chaise, and kissed her forehead before leaving.

Lenore looked over at Chloe. "You will never understand how lucky you are to be an only child."

As the brothers got on the elevator, Harry started laughing at Bart's resigned look. His little brother pulled at his collar, and Harry would bet Bart was sweating. The elevator stopped at Harry's apartment first, and Bart looked at his brother, with eyes that begged, "Can I move in with you?".

"Hey, I was perfectly happy with you as a brother and her as a best friend. You two are the ones that went and made it all complicated. You made your bed, now you have to lie in it."

"I can't. She said she needed more room for her pregnancy pillow, and so I'm in the guest room. Given her... level of gas... I think this is a blessing."

"It's still that bad?" Harry cringed, remembering what it had been like to be stuck with her in a limo, elevator... or opera box. Not pleasant.

"Do not light a match around her." Bart ran a hand through his hair. "But more than that, she seems to have pulled ever pregnancy symptom known to man... Woman. She's miserable, and as such she's making me miserable."

"She's always been good at that. And come on, you've never been that peppy of a guy anyway." Harry patted Bart's shoulder. He could tell Bart was agitated because he was actually talking. "Good luck."

Harry was still laughing as he walked into his kitchen, and his wife peeked out from behind the open fridge door. She smiled at him. "I can tell just by looking at you, you're laughing at your brother again."

"That's what he gets for knocking up my best friend." Harry returned smugly.

She stepped back from the fridge with a carton of Red Velvet Menchies in her hands. Harry grabbed a spoon and followed her to their couch. He sat down, and helped her settle between his legs. She busied herself scooping the frozen yogurt into her mouth, and he spent his time gently stroking her swollen belly. He smiled as he felt his child kick underneath her skin. Much to his mother's dismay, he and Sarah had decided not to find out what they were having. Harry had to admit, he would have loved to know, but Sarah had wanted them to get a surprise, so until then, his baby was an 'It'.

"How's Lenore?" Sarah asked with her mouth full.

"Happy to pose for pictures with her future nieces or nephews." Harry managed to keep a straight face.

"Meaning you blackmailed her." Sarah smiled as she swung a spoon behind her to offer him a bite.

He took it and then pressed a cold kiss to her shoulder. "Never. She's dying to do it."

"More likely plotting your death."

"Bart was there too." Harry pointed out in his own defense.

"She'll know who the ringleader was..." She lilted her voice to him.

He shrugged. "It'll be worth it when I send the photos to Forbes to use for their cover when she makes her first billion."

"I'm going to divorce you so that maybe she'll spare my child..." Sarah mused, understanding her little sister-in-law's wrath.

"Traitor."

In his own apartment Bart crept into the master bedroom, and for a moment he just looked at the giant lump in his bed. Violet had been planning on working right up till her water broke, but the baby had had other ideas. She'd been put on modified bed-rest a couple of days ago, and his ever busy wife was sure to go crazy in the last stretch.

"Where have you been?" Came a little huff from his bed.

To others this would have seemed like a sign to head for the hills, but Bart knew his wife. This was her way of saying "I missed you." Slipping off his shoes, he carefully crawled into bed with his wife. She was on her side, and he curled himself against her back.

"Our baby hates me." She sniffed, cuddling back against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"He or she doesn't hate you."

"There!" She nearly burst into tears. "Right there! We should know if we're having a boy or a girl by now, but NO! Every time we go to the doctors... the baby's turned every which way but for a money shot!"

He squeezed her gently.

"And... and... everything hurts... _everything_ is swollen..."

He rubbed soft circles into the skin of her large belly.

"I hope you like the kid we have... because I am never doing this again..." She declared.

He kissed her hair.

A few hours later Lenore smirked to herself, knowing she'd thrown the best party of the year. She was just scanning the masked, and richly costumed, crowd when she saw one guest heading upstairs. Her head cocked to the side, and when her eyes landed on his backside, she knew exactly who it was. Ignoring every person who attempted to talk to her, even partially shoving a couple out of her way, she headed straight to her room, knowing she'd find him there. She wasn't wrong.

"Did you suffer some kind of head injury I didn't hear about? Because I clearly remember telling you that you were not invited to my party." Lenore hissed as she stormed into her room, then her eyes narrowed on the biggest traitor in the place.

"I know." Ralph mused as he continued to pet Blue, who was sprawled in full cat glory across his lap. "I'm here as Ellen's date."

"Well, I hope she's having a good time, because it's going to be her last. I'm going to kill her."

Ralph just rolled his eyes and carefully set her Judas of a cat aside. He sprung off the bed and moved to her dresser to use her lint roller to take the cat hair off the dark velvet of his costume.

"Great." She said coldly after he'd tossed the roller back where he'd gotten it. "I'm going to have to burn that now."

He picked up a bottle of oil, smelled it and then cringed in distaste. "You've switched to patchouli?"

A sultry smile curved her full lips. "It drives Coy wild..."

Ralph grimaced at her words, but kept going. "Speaking of your favourite vegan... where is he tonight. I can't believe he's missing your party and your monumental anniversary." He mocked her.

"Are you jealous?"

"Of him? Yes, I've always wished I could master the art of cooking with spelt. Of his girlfriend?" He looked her up and down. "Not so much."

He walked out of the room, and Lenore felt a riot of emotions rocket through her. For a moment, she couldn't breathe, and her only thought was to get out of there and take in fresh air. She made it to the roof before she lost it, bursting into tears in a place where no one could see or hear her. How could one stupid boy make her hurt so much? she asked herself over and over.

She was so distraught that she didn't hear the access door open or the footsteps that came up behind her. In fact she wasn't even aware that she wasn't alone anymore till the chloroformed cloth covered her mouth and nose. She lost consciousness before her body even slumped into the waiting arms of the person who was there to kidnap her.

TahDAH! You know what the problem is with your basement apartment flooding? Yes, the water, but now? Now I'm learning about mould. Holy crap that stuff grows quickly! I'm half expecting to wake up like a Star Trek character one morning soon. Speaking of... have you all seen the new Star Trek movie? I LOVE the besties! And yes, this movie and the last one... have totally given me a thing for Chris Pine. Even though, is it just me, or are his lips upside down?

Now that this chapter is done I'm going to do something I've been avoiding... I'm going to try on my swimsuit from last year. Since I've gotten home from Vancouver, I've grief eaten and therapy/emotionally eaten a few pounds on. Cross your fingers for me! It'll be a miracle if it fits right. Oh, and BIG thanks to Ellen and Mary!


	86. Chapter 86

Hello! Have I mentioned that I think my mom is adorably hilarious? No? Well she is. So the other day, she was driving my step sister's mini-van, and she turned on the radio "accidentally". I just used quotation marks because she spent three minutes going "I can't believe the radio controls are in the steering wheel? Here's where the story got interesting. It was on a shock jock radio show. My mom launched into a half hour long recounting of what she'd heard. "Apparently this one caller had gone on a date with a transgendered person and hadn't known it till 'later'. And I don't know what this program was about but he kept talking about boners rubbing together! Boners! Rubbing up against each other! ... I don't know..." To be clear, my mom doesn't have a problem with boners rubbing up against each other. What I think was blowing her mind was that my stepsister, mother of 3, was listening to this in her mini-van. My mind was blown because until then, in our very long history, I'd never heard the woman use the word "boner" before. I am glad I didn't miss it. It was like the first time I heard her drop the F-Bomb! Good times. Here we go...

Sarah groaned as she was waken from sleep my the incessant kicking of her baby in her belly.

"I hear you, I hear you." She grumbled as she used one arm to lever herself up and into a sitting position. She glanced over her shoulder and wasn't surprised to see her husband's side of the bed empty. She looked down at her belly, and rubbed it soothingly. "Poor you. He's getting practice."

After peeing, she padded out of the bedroom and went looking for Harry. It wasn't hard to find him. He was sitting in a high backed chair, parked right in front of the elevator doors. His brother was in a matching chair right next to him.

"She's fine, and you two are idiots." Sarah said in passing as she headed for the kitchen.

Both brothers knew Lenore would bankrupt them if they "popped in" anytime before 10am. They knew this because she'd told them this was exactly what she'd do. So, after their wives had gone to bed, they'd sat in their chairs, playing cribbage, and getting updates from their doorman about the comings and goings of their little sister's party. They'd tapped off, taking turns sleeping until dawn, and they'd been up and silent since then. They had ten more minutes to go.

Sarah was just pouring herself a glass of milk when the internal phone line rang. She had a momentary flash that it was Lenore calling to ask for help, but she shook her head, because with Bart in her foyer, it was fairly predictable as to the identity of the caller.

"Is my husband there acting weird?" Violet demanded without preamble. "And before you say 'weirder than usual/?' I'll remind you that you're growing not to different genetics in you right now."

"Morning, Violet." Sarah said, instead of the exact thing her sister-in-law had predicted. "Yep. I figure they should be back to acting like husbands instead of brothers in about 15 minutes when they see that Lenore's fine."

11 minutes later, when the elevator doors opened to their parent's penthouse, the brothers were not surprised to find it nearly immaculate. Ever the keen planner, Lenore had booked an elite cleaning service to come in at 4am and set the home right again. They'd even cleaned under and around the smattering of teens that were passed out on couches, floors and butler's pantry. One was hugging a picture of Blair, and the boys took a minute to pry the portrait out of the pimpled teen's grasp, and kick him onto the elevator.

Nothing was clearly amiss, but both boys felt it. They felt a growing sense of urgency to see their little sister, fine and telling them off, right in front of them. They headed upstairs and today didn't stop to knock on her door. The room was dim but they saw a lump under the covers on the bed, and Harry walked over to the window and pulled the drapes open. The lump stirred and then stilled. Bart looked to Harry in askance of what he thought they should do next, but Harry just shrugged.

"What if she's naked?"

Bart rolled his eyes, as if to say, they'd seen it before, and changed it's diaper.

Harry snorted. "I have a feeling it's a lot different than when she was one."

They both had the thought that while their little sister wasn't a baby... she also wasn't a little girl anymore either. Both men scowled.

"What if she's not alone?!" Harry hissed.

Bart's eyes narrowed and he ran his index finger across his jugular in a cutting gesture.

"I was thinking lower than that, but you've got the right idea." Harry agreed.

Bart picked up a hairbrush off the vanity and poked the lump. It stirred, but didn't arise, so Bart poked it again. Finally it lurched up and shoved the covers off of it.

"HEY!" Chloe snarled, and both men were a little taken aback at their usually chipper cousin's harshness.

"Someone's hungover..." Harry mused to Bart, who smirked in agreement.

"Stop... yelling..." Chloe muttered and pressed her palms into her temples.

"Is Lenore in as bad a shape as you?" Harry asked, trying not to laugh.

"I have no idea. When you see her, tell her I hope she feels like me."

"You mean she's not under there with you?" Harry asked sharply.

"How big do you think I am?" Chloe asked disgruntled.

"Chloe." Bart cut in firmly and with razor focus. "Where is Lenore?"

Chloe's brow scrunched in confusion. This shouldn't be a hard question. She'd danced with her. Circulated with her. And a dozen party moments with Lenore came to mind, but suddenly Chloe realized that she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her best friend. Her head slowly raised and eyes widened with dawning dismay. "I don't know..."

On an exclusive island...

The metal of the tub had been warmed by the heat of the water, so was an easy rest for Blair's back as she lay in the outdoor bath. They were sided by jungle and the ocean, much like Chuck was sided by his wife's legs in the bath. They were both replete, and now lazily caressing each other. With him in front of her, she had easy access to his chest and other parts. He kept himself busy with her legs and thighs, turning his head now and then to search out her lips.

He smiled as he took in how she was looking at him. Her eyes were filled with total love... and lust for him. He'd never get tired of her looking at him that way, and he had every belief that she'd be looking at him that way when they were 90.

He was just about to turn onto his knees and pull her to him when they heard his phone ring somewhere in their cabin. They froze and shared a look. It wasn't one of disappointment. Long ago they had taught their children that they were only to be disturbed on their grown up vacations if it was an absolute emergency. They'd been called twice before, once when Bart nearly burnt the apartment down trying to make poutine when he was eight. And then again when Harry had crashed, but walked away from, his plane when he was 18.

Chuck got out of the bath quickly, grabbing a towel as he rushed into the bedroom. Blair followed, and was wrapping a robe around herself as she listened to him answer his phone.

"Harry, what's wrong?" His eyes shot to Blair, and her stomach bottomed out at the emotion in his gaze.

"What's wrong? Is it one of the babies? Are Sarah and Violet alright?" Blair asked urgently, her hand reaching out for his shoulder, because she needed connection to him.

"We'll, be home in 3 hours. 2 and a half if the flight winds are with us." Chuck hung up the phone and pulled her into his arms. His hands carefully cradled Blair's head as he whispered in a voice that tried to hide his own fear. "They can't find Lenore."

Unknown...

Lenore's head spun as she tried to open her eyes. It was made worse by the glaring florescent lights that shone harshly down on her. Out of instinct she tried to raise her hand to shield her eyes, but she couldn't, and it took a moment to realize that there were restraints latched to her wrists, keeping her arms close to her sides. She tugged on them, testing their strength, but stopped when she realized it was no use. They were latched securely, and also she found herself to have weakness in her limbs. So instead she started to make mental notes about her surroundings.

She was in a hospital bed, in a room that was small and nearly completely white. While the surroundings may have given every indication that she was exactly where she thought she was, in a hospital, but Lenore knew it was a lie. Every sense she had told her there was only one person near her, only one person who could hear her, and she wasn't about to give them the satisfaction of panicking and seeing they'd gotten under her skin. Instead she thought of neutral happy things. She couldn't think of her family. Just the thought of her parents, brothers, and even their wives had her eyes nearly tearing. For a while she thought of buildings and the New York skyline and what she'd do with it, because that was her happy place, but it wasn't working now. She didn't want to be soothed. So she thought of Ralph... and true to form she was filled with fire. If he hadn't have been such an asshole, she never would have gone up to the roof in the first place. Her being in this predicament was all his fault. Her eyes locked and focused on the single door in the room as she seethed and waited. She took deep even breaths for what seemed like forever, and Lenore absently wondered what time it was.

Bass Penthouse...

The Basses were gathered in Chuck's office, with even Violet being wheeled in from downstairs. Outside the office the Bass penthouse had become the command centre for the operation, and was filled with police, FBI and a less noticeable, but present private firm, all of which were focused on finding the Bass daughter. It was loud and chaotic.

Inside the office the only thing that could be heard was the muffled sounds coming from outside. Violet sat in the wheel chair, stroking Bart's dark hair, as he sat by her feet, a hand wrapped tight around her ever swollen ankle. Harry sat in a high backed chair, Sarah in his lap, his hand on her belly, her hand gently massaging his shoulder. Blair and Chuck sat side by side on the sofa, their fingers interlocked tightly, and were completely still. It was like a ticking bomb in the room.

Blair suddenly jerked herself up, and on shaky legs ran from the room. Chuck followed quickly on her heels, calling out to her, but she didn't stop. She stumbled on the stairs, nearly toppling forward, but she caught herself on the railing. Pain shot through her arm and knee, but she didn't register it. She did, however, register the familiar hands that grasped her hips, steadying her. While she loved him with her, she couldn't stop, and used all her strength to pull her body up and keep moving. When she and Chuck had first arrived home off their frantic trek back to Manhattan, Lenore's room had been the first place Chuck had gone. It was as if, by sheer force of will, he thought that she just might be there, lying on her bed, reading stock reports with Blue curled at her side. His fists and jaw had clenched at the emptiness he'd found instead, and as he silently looked round his daughter's room, still full of life and her essence, he vowed to bring her home safely to it.

Blair, on the other hand, had been unable to even look at the door. She couldn't look at her beloved daughter's room, and know that Lenore wasn't there. That Lenore might not ever be there again. She'd locked her emotions down, keeping her face blank as they talked to law enforcement officer after law enforcement officer. Until now.

She pushed Lenore's door open so hard it ricocheted off the wall, and it was only Chuck's hand that kept it from hitting Blair as she ran through. She rushed to the bedside table, ripping the drawers out as she went, and riffling through them. Next Blair ran to the bathroom, with Chuck behind her, along with her sons who had now followed her upstairs as well. Blair yanked the glass medicine cabinet's doors open, knocking makeup and tubes of creams out of the way, until she froze.

"Blair...?" Chuck whispered worriedly.

Blair's hand shook as she reached into the cabinet, her fingers wrapping around the bottle of prescription pills. She turned to her family with horror in her eyes.

"She doesn't have her pills... Lenore doesn't have her heart pills..." Blair managed to get out before sobs of terror ripped through her, and she collapsed into her equally shaken husband's arms.

TahDAH! One of my mom's cats has lost his mind. My stepsister and her 3 kids have moved in for the summer. The cat is not please. He's peeing everyday... but only on the kids things. THIS is a cat. "I don't like you, so I will make this place as unwelcoming as I can." Mission accomplished.

Let's see if I can remember some of the questions that came up... Nope, Lenore will not get raped. Don't worry, I have a whole plan for the births of the Bass Babies. And did I miss any?

Oh, and...Big thanks to all my reviewers, but also a shout out to 1999 and 2000! They know who they are.


	87. Chapter 87

Hello! Last week, and for the next week or so, I am actually working everyday! It's very exciting to me! I'm like... an assistant to a bunch of people. And I don't know whether or not I should be insulted that my supervisor has commented that I'm smart with surprise in her voice? Hmmm? I've had bosses before, but now... I have the most Boss like boss I've ever had, I think. I sometimes feel like I'm on an episode of The Office. And maybe, just maybe, I meant to send an email to a friend... and sent it to my supervisor by mistake? It also might be killing me... or making me healthier. I'm exhausted and so have been getting seven hours of sleep. At least two more than my usual. I also dropped four pounds in the first week. Here we go...

Blair's head was buried in Chuck's chest, and his hands made frantic movements over her back, seeking to sooth her, but he could feel that she couldn't catch her breath. She couldn't catch. Framing her face with gentle, yet urgent hands, he pulled her face close to his.

"Breathe, Blair, Breathe..." He waited for a moment as she struggled to do as he asked. When her giant, watery dark eyes met his, he made her a promise. "We will get her back. I promise you, we will get Lenore back."

She nodded, and he pressed his forehead against her, and for several moments they caught their breath. They were brought back by the head of the FBI team at the door.

"Mr. Bass? There's been a ransom demand."

Steel seemed to shoot through Blair as her wall came up, and her voice was all icy assurance as she told the officer. "Good, because we'll be getting our daughter back by tonight."

In another part of Manhattan...

Agnes slipped the pan full of scrambled eggs onto the plate with long practiced skill, and went to her grandson's bedroom door, rapping on it with extra vigor because he'd been an hour late for his curfew. She'd let him sleep most of the day away, but that was over now.

"Ralph Malachi Jarvis, your breakfast is on the table! You'll need it with all the errands you're going to be running for me today to make up for keeping me up waiting for you!"

She smiled when she heard him groan loudly behind the door. She made a mental note to cross one errand off her list for him. He was a good boy, and last night was one of his rare slips. Plus he was at Lenore's party, and Agnes just couldn't give up the hope that the two teens would get it together. She was just pouring herself a cup of coffee when the apartment buzzer chimed.

Ralph stretched as he stood up from his bed. He was slightly surprised that there hadn't been a second knock on his door. to get him up and to the breakfast table. He got a bigger surprise when he came out and saw a police officer standing beside his grandmother, offering her a glass of water, as she slumped on a chair in the living room.

He rushed to kneel at her side, resting a comforting hand on her knee. "Gran, are you alright?"

She shook her head, but then grasped his hand tightly. "Baby... Something has happened to Lenore."

The police officer took this moment to look Ralph in the eyes. "Son, when was the last time you saw Lillian Eleanor Bass?"

An hour later Agnes and Ralph arrived at the Bass penthouse, where family and close friends were gathering to await news. His grandmother immediately sought out Chuck and Blair, and for the first time in Ralph's life he saw Chuck Bass hug someone that was not his wife or one of his children. Blair grasped Agnes' hands as if they were life lines and the two women shared the deep look of a mother's understanding. Agnes' daughter, Ralph's mother, had past away when he was barely a toddler. He didn't remember her, but he loved her, from her just being his mother and from all the stories he'd heard from his family about her. He'd also heard it whispered that Agnes had never quite been the same after Keesha had passed, but that she'd lived for Ralph. His grandfather had told him, more that once, that he, Ralph, had saved Agnes' life. Ralph's brow furrowed at the thought that he didn't want that for the Basses.

His stomach dropped, and then shot up to his throat. For a moment he thought he was going to throw up all over the foyer. The thought had just hit him that he may have to live the rest of his life without Lillian Eleanor Bass in it. He recognized he was starting to lose it, that the world was beginning to spin around him, and her mocking face came to him, and he knew she'd be laughing at him if she could see him now. That thought made him feel worse, and he stumbled back into a side hall to press his forehead into the cool marble of the wall, and brace his hands against it. Something brushing up against his leg nearly made him scream, and he jumped, looking down.

"Meeeeow." Came Blue's sorrowful drawl.

While he was given free reign around the Bass home, with the exception of his food and litter box in a spare servant's room, the cat rarely left Lenore's room. Now he was out, looking for his girl. Ralph picked the cat up, stroking him twice before scratching him behind the ears. The cat continued to stare at him, and the let out another plaintive meow.

"Come on." Ralph said with a sigh. He glanced quickly around the busy main floor of the penthouse, and then, with Blue in his arms, he headed up the stairs. Lenore's door was ajar and he pushed it open slowly, and managed a half-hearted smile for who he found lying on Lenore's bed.

"Hi, Chloe."

"Hi, Ralph." She tried to smile back, but it fell flat.

He came in and sat next to her on the bed, and frowned a little as Chloe took Blue from him. He stopped himself from grabbing the cat back when she let out a very wet sniff. "It's been less than a day... and I already miss her."

Chloe's eyes found his. "Ralph, what if we never see her again?"

"We'll see her again." He insisted sharply.

He started looking around the room, a room he had known almost as well as his own, and he nearly hated it for a minute. He asked her to distract himself. "Do you think Coy knows?"

Chloe looked surprised, because she hadn't even thought about Lenore's boyfriend. "I don't know? It's all over the news..."

It didn't matter, Ralph was looking for an excuse. "Want to get out of here?"

"Yes!" Chloe said quickly. It was so tense in the Bass penthouse, if felt like it was about to explode.

She put the cat down and they both got up off the bed. They were about to head out when an petulant meow rang out at them. Chloe looked up at Ralph, and he shook his head.

"No. We're not taking the most spoiled cat on the planet with us." He told her as if she were slow.

Chloe picked up the cat and they both gave him pitiful looks. "He's sad and misses her too. We can't just leave him here..."

"Shit." Ralph muttered, and Chloe smiled before handing him Blue and going to the closet to the get cat's light travel box. It was blue and sliver with a royal pillow inside for the cat's comfort. Along the side was emblazoned "Bonnie Blue Bass" in silver script.

"I'm not carrying that." Ralph did comment as he loaded the cat inside, and he lifted it by the handle, passed it to her, and the two headed out.

Bart had just come out of a tense meeting with his brother, their parents, and the family's personal security team. There were plans in place. None of the Basses cared about how much it cost to get Lenore back, and none of them cared if they had to break laws to do it.

He followed Harry to the bar, and he scanned the room as his brother downed a whisky. His head cocked to the side as he saw Chloe and Ralph trip down the stairs and then head into the elevator.

"Did Ralph and Chloe just steal Blue?" Harry asked almost absently.

Bart shrugged, and then his eyes landed on Violet. She was spread out on a chaise, pillows propped behind her and a blanket over her knees, as she went over press releases with her assistant. She was bed resting like a commander, and handling all the rising media hype. As if she felt his gaze, she looked up and their eyes met. He tilted his head slightly to the side in askance, and she knew instantly that he was seeing if she was okay. She nodded slight to him, assuring him she was fine, and then went back to drilling her assistant on the wording for the Times.

Bart moved to the couch, to sit next to their father, as Harry spotted Sarah slipping out of the crowded and rapidly overheating living room, and onto the balcony. The air was a cooling relief to his skin as he followed his wife outside. She stood looking out at the city, and when his arms came around her, her hands wrapped over his.

"I was just looking at the city... and I realized how much I think of it as hers. When she looks at it... you can see that brain of hers eat it up." She laughed softly. "I think Lenore made me love the city even more just because, in a way, she showed it to me through her eyes."

Harry smiled and kissed Sarah's hair. "Bart and I knew a long time ago to get out of her way. Why do you think neither one of us work at Bass Industries..." He teased, chuckling. He sobered at the thought of his sister never stepping foot there again.

Sarah felt him stiffen behind her, and she turned in his arms so that they could stand face to face. Her hands came up to cup his jaw. And he shut his eyes, desperately trying not to cry. After a moment, he nodded and opened his eyes to look at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, knowing that she'd lost a sibling, and knowing it still was a hole inside of her.

She smiled at him, warming because she could see the love and worry in his eyes. She had lost a brother, and she would love and miss him always, but she had a family. She had Harry and his family, and now they had the beginnings of their own growing inside her.

"I'm okay." She assured him, and took his hands and placed them on the spots of her belly where their baby punched and kicked. "So is the baby... And Lenore will be okay too."

Harry managed a small smile. "I'm going to hold you to that. If you're wrong I'm booting you out on the street."

"Liar." She teased back. "Your parents would never let you. They'd give me the apartment, and you'd be sleeping alone in your room again."

He was about to comment when he caught sight of Bart in the window. His brother tapped the glass and indicated for him to come in.

"No doorman?" Chloe grumbled as they rode the elevator up in Coy's apartment building.

Ralph rolled his eyes. "And here I'd always thought Lenore was the snobby one..."

"Whatever..." Chloe grumbled.

As they walked down the hall, Ralph shifted the cat carrier to his other palm. "This cat is fatter than he looks."

Chloe knocked on the door, and for a long time they heard nothing. They were even ready to give up and leave, but then they heard someone moving around. A small man opened the door, and they could see none of Coy in the man, other than his eyes, the eyes that made it clear he was the teen's father.

"Is Coy home? We're friends of Lenore's."

"No, I'm sorry, he's out right now. Can I tell him you came by?" The man asked mildly.

"Who's there?" Came a sharp voice from somewhere in the apartment.

"Yes, dear. It's friends of Coy's."

Ralph bit back the urge to correct the man. He was no friend of Coy's. A woman appeared behind the simple looking man, and it was clear that she was well out of her husband's league. She was older, but clearly a beautiful woman, and given the snap in her eyes, she was also much sharper than her husband.

"He's not here. He's clearly upset by his girlfriend's disappearance, so perhaps you should leave him alone." Coy's mother told them sharply, and they all jumped a little at the angry hiss that came from Blue in his carrier.

The woman scowled at the cat, pushed her husband back into the apartment, and then slammed the door.

"Show of hands. Who thinks we should tell Chuck and Blair about this immediately?" Chloe said, still stunned at what had just happened.

Somewhere in Manhattan...

Lenore had no idea what time it was, and given the room had no windows, she didn't know what day it was. She'd tried to estimate how long she'd been under with the chloroform, but was never one to pay much attention in science class. It turned out that her body was giving her the best indication of how much time had passed. She'd only ever missed one pill before, and given how she was feeling now, she imagined she'd been gone over 24hrs now. It mean she'd missed three pills, and she could hear her mother's voice in her head, lecturing her over how she should have taken her pill before the party last night. Lenore's head argued back with her mother that it was her routine to take the pill right before she went to sleep, and she should know how important routine was. For the first time, Lenore had to bite back a terrified sob as she realized how much she wanted to argue with her mother right now, and how far away she might be from ever doing it again.

Her hands and feet felt cold, her lips dry, and her body felt heavy. She started to drift in and out of consciousness. At times she thought she heard voices outside the door, but she couldn't make out any words, all that managed to register was that whoever they were, they were angry. Good, she thought to herself. She hoped they'd choke on all the ransom they were assuredly getting from her parents. Lenore drifted out again until cold water splashed across her face. Even that wasn't enough to fully stir her, but then a cruel, gloved hand latched onto her jaw and squeezed.

"Open your eyes! I know you're awake!"

Lenore wanted to ignore the voice, because she didn't think she could spare the energy, but when that hand snapped a hard slap across her face, and then another, Lenore dragged her eyes open.

"What's wrong with you?" Demanded a woman in a Hello Kitty mask.

"You mean more than being chloroformed, kidnapped and held against my will? Hmmm... I wonder?" Lenore muttered drolly, and as her eyes drifted shut again, she noticed the woman glance behind her.

"I almost feel sorry for you." Lenore whispered, the slowing beat of her heart taking her under again. "Because if I die... My family will hunt you down, and make you wish you were dead... long before you get to spend a dime of our money..."

She didn't know how much time had passed, but what felt like minutes later, Lenore felt herself being dragged from the bed, and into what felt like a wheelchair. She tried to make feeble protests, but it was becoming too hard to even breathe, let alone speak.

She felt movement. She felt bang and bumps to her body. She felt herself dropped, and the feeling of falling seemed to go on and on, until she slammed into the ground. She felt nothing more until bright light pierced her eyes, and she struggled to open them. She was looking up at a dark night sky that was lit up by helicopter search lights. Dragging her eyes to scan the area, she realized she was in Central Park. People seemed to be moving like shadows all around her, but she managed to focus on one face, a woman who looked to be a paramedic, was leaning over her. She smiled and Lenore registered that the woman was trying to tell her she was going to be okay. Lenore was only mildly pissed off at her when she jabbed a needle into her arm, and then thought no more.

TahDAH! If anyone thinks this chapter's flow or story is screwed up, I'm just adding... that Ellen said it made perfect sense to her. Blame Ellen. Also, I left questions open on it to be answered in the next chapter. I promise. Okay, so I really feel like I do not thank you reviewers enough. After this past couple of weeks, I really wanted to tell you all how much your reviews have meant to me. On a dark day, sometimes I'll get a review and it will put a smile on my face. So, thank you so much, for every review you guys have taken the time to submit. I really appreciate it. THANK YOU!

I noticed that there have been a couple of reviews asking about the pace of my updating. ha. I have no idea? I think it depends on my week and my mood? There's been... a lot going on the last little while. I'm sorry for the slow down.

Oh and, I'm going to post my first reaction to the "Guest" reviewer from the last chapter. No my life isn't okay, and thanks for making me feel worse.


	88. Chapter 88

Hello! You know what a tough choice is? A few weeks ago my mom took me out for an ice cream. We went to stand on a bridge to eat it, and well... it was windy. Very windy. My hair kept flying into the ice cream. If you're wondering, I was more concerned about hair in my ice cream than ice cream in my hair. I had my mom hold my cone while I threw my hair up in a bun. Yeah, a huge gust of wind swooped in and blew my top straight up while my arms were in the air. I thought my mom was going to bust something laughing at me. Not cool, mom, not cool. Speaking of moms, this chapter starts off with ours. Here we go...

Chuck stood against the wall, at first glance, calmly leaning against it and waiting. However, anyone who really knew him could see he was tightly coiled. When you looked at his wife, you didn't need a second glance. Her nervous energy was shooting off her as she rapidly paced the confines of the hospital corridor.

Their security team, and the law enforcement specialist had all urged the Basses to head to the hospital, rather than rush to the park, to see Lenore. They'd made their case that it was the priority to get her stabilized, and it would end up being faster if her family just met her there.

Unfortunately the Basses got to the hospital before Lenore did, and now they were all waiting in a blocked off corridor by the doors of the ER entrance. Chuck and Blair's heads shot up at the building sounds of fast approaching sirens. The mobs of press were being held back by police, but even so, when the emergency room doors slid open, there were near blinding flashes from cameras as Lenore was wheeled in. Blair ran to the gurney, but she could barely see her daughter through all the throngs of paramedics, nurses and doctors who worked on her. They didn't stop either, and the Basses followed quickly behind them until they got to a private emergency room, and a nurse stopped them.

"You'll have to wait here." He said calmly but firmly.

Blair's eyes lit with fire. "I am going with my daughter." Blair told the nurse with cold force. "So get _out_ of my way."

The nurse stumbled back at the full force of Blair Cornelia Waldorf-Bass' will, and Blair and Chuck hurried into the ER. The sound of a flatline greeted them, and Blair stumbled back into Chuck's arms. Chuck barely managed to keep them both standing as the watched the scene unfold around them with terror and fear.

"CHARGING!" A doctor shouted. "CLEAR!"

Chuck's arms tightened on Blair as they watched their daughter's body jolt and contort with the force of the electricity that was being shot through it.

"Please..." Blair heard Chuck beg to the universe in her ear.

Her hands tightened on his arms, but her eyes stayed locked on her baby as they shocked Lenore twice more.

"Beep... Beep... Beep..." Came across the room like salve over the wound that had been tearing open in them since this whole thing had started. The head doctor looked over at them, and her nod assured them that what they were hearing was right. Lenore was going to live.

Blair whipped around in her husband's arms, throwing herself around him, as they clutched and gasped in relief.

An hour later Blair and Chuck quietly sat side by side in Lenore's private hospital room. After Lenore had stabilized the doctors had sedated her, and now her parents were waiting for her to wakeup. Chuck's arm was draped over Blair's shoulder, his thumb gently tracing a pattern, and Blair's head rested against his chest. Neither one took their eyes off their little girl.

"Her colour is improving." Blair whispered as she took note of the hint of pink that had started to return to Lenore's ashen cheeks.

They both sat up straight when she stirred in the bed. Her eyes didn't open, but then her voice croaked as she managed to say. "I can smell your perfume..."

Blair choked back a sob, and stumbled to her feet. She perched on the edge of the bed and gently hugged Lenore, and rained kisses over her face. She only moved away to let Chuck hug his daughter and run his hands over her hair reverently.

"Daddy, watch my hair." Lenore chastised teasingly. "Wait... how is my hair?"

"Perfect."

"We'll fix it." Her parents said at the same time.

A few minutes later her brothers came in, each smiling broadly at her.

"Oh god." Lenore rolled her eyes as they each hugged her. "You're just glad I lived or Daddy would have made one of you grow up and become CEO."

Bart mocked shuddered, and Harry looked affronted as he pressed a hand to his heart. "Perish the thought. I'm a playboy."

"Excuse me?" Sarah asked from the doorway.

"Reformed!" Harry quickly filled in as he hurried to her. "Happily reformed."

A nurse rolled in Violet, and before either could come close to Lenore, she gave them a slight wave. Some would say it was greeting, but most would see it as a wave off.

"I know, I know, you're glad I'm alive." As if she was done with them.

"Sure." Violet deadpanned. "That's exactly what my feelings for you are at the moment."

"No need to say anything Bart." Lenore's mouth quirked in a slight smirk, still not 100%. "We all know who the playboy was in your relationship... Well, I should say, playgirl."

Lenore blinked innocently at Violet.

"Lenore, ever so glad you're alright." Violet snapped.

"So... You're good?" Sarah asked.

"As good as someone with a heart condition and annoying sisters-in-law can be." Lenore said tiredly.

"Good." Sarah partially doubled over, panting, and the group noticed that the sweating she'd been doing since she came in, might not be just pregnancy sweat. "Because my water broke about two hours ago, and if I don't get an epidural in the next ten minutes I'm going rip Harry's head off and hurl it down Madison Avenue."

"What did I do?" Harry asked incredulously while at the same time moving to support his wife while Blair called down the hallway with a high pitch demand for a doctor and a wheelchair.

Sarah's gaze fixed on him with a flash fire, then she shot down to her rock hard swollen stomach, and then back to him. "You know what you did."

"Guilty." Harry smirked.

"Not the time, son, trust me. Not the time." Chuck cautioned his eldest with the wisdom of a man who had been down this same road before with his own wife.

"Ooo!" Violet squealed, and Bart was at her side with eyes that asked if she was okay.

"Well that wasn't pleasant." Violet pouted to her husband, and shifted in her wheelchair.

All eyes went to Sarah as a scream was half torn from her as she tried to settle onto the gurney that'd been brought for her. "DRUGS!"

Violet rolled her eyes as she surveyed her sister-in-law. "Really, Sarah? I can tell you that I'm in labour too... and I really think you shouldn't carry on so. It's not that bad."

Sarah's mouth opened and shut, fury and indignation warring on her face. Her husband quickly signaled to the medical staff to get this show on the road.

"Get me out of here before I rip the curls from her head and shove them down her throat!" Sarah bit out.

"And people say I'm the dramatic one..." Violet mused, before looking at her husband. "Darling, I think I'm ready to do this. How's my make up?"

Bart kissed her before she too was wheeled out to go to the Labour and Delivery floor. Chuck and Blair shot each other a look, and then looked down at their clearly tired daughter.

"Go." A worn out Lenore told them. "I'll be fine."

"No." Chuck told her simply.

"You said Coy's parents have been taken into custody, so I'm safe. And as much as it thrills me when I catch you both watching me sleep..." She said in a tone that conveyed how creepy she thought it was when she'd awaken and sometimes catch them watching her sleep. "I really am fine... I just need some rest."

"We're not leaving you alone." Blair told her daughter, taking a seat in the chair beside her bed.

"I'll stay with her."

All Bass eyes landed on Ralph who stood in the doorway, a stuffed cat, that looked remarkably like Blue, in his hands.

Chuck and Blair again shared a look, and nodded to each other. Blair looked at Ralph steadily. "Take care of her."

"I will."

"I feel like I've just been sold off." Lenore scowled at her parents.

Both of them approached the bed. "We'll check on your brothers and the girls and be back soon." They promised.

"Don't leave me with him." Lenore gave them her best beseeching pout.

Chuck smiled and kissed her forehead. "We'll be back soon."

"I think I feel my heart stopping." She said with desperation as her mother kissed her cheek.

"Try to get some rest." Blair instructed, and pulled the covers up a little more snuggly over her baby.

"YOU DON'T LOVE ME AT ALL!" Lenore got out before they were gone.

"Well, that was just embarrassing." Ralph drawled as he lowered himself into the chair Blair had vacated. The toy cat rested in his lap, but he made no move to offer it to her. For long moments each was quiet, they'd both had so much to say to each other, but now they were at a loss for words.

Lenore really wasn't anywhere near fully recovered, and the visit with her family and now Ralph had taxed her strength. She griped with heavy eyes, and a sleepy voice. "Is that for me? I'm not seven you know."

She didn't hear his response, because sleep claimed her, but when she woke up awhile later she found the cat tucked under her arm. She almost smiled, especially when she saw Ralph passed out in the chair beside her, but then she saw what had awoken her. It's as if her instincts had told her weary body that she had to wake up.

"Don't wake him." Coy said softly as he stepped into the room.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Lenore said dryly. She didn't like the bulge she saw in his pocket. She liked it even less when he half pulled out the gun to make it clear he was serious.

Coy put the gun back in his pocket, but kept one hand there. "Get up."

Lenore noticed the slight tensing in Ralph's body's posture, and knew he was awake. One of his eyes cracked open and she gave a minuscule shake of her head, indicating that he should do nothing. Coy was behind Ralph, and Coy was armed.

She focused keeping Coy's attention on her. "I don't know if you've heard, but I have a heart condition and have recently suffered kidnapping trauma. Walking isn't really one of my capabilities at the moment."

Coy glanced around the room, spotted a wheelchair left there, and moved towards it. WIth his free hand he nudged it towards her. Lenore sat up, and swung her legs over the bed, she felt woozy but tried not to let that show. She also hoped that Ralph stayed quiet. Her rational mind told her that that was because she needed him to stay here and get help after Coy had taken her again, but her heart told her the truth. She wanted him to be safe.

Coy's hand bit painfully into her arm and he half hoisted her up, she refused to cry out in pain. However, Ralph seemed to sense it, and also felt desperation at the knowledge she was going to taken again, and he reacted.

He lurched out of the chair, trying to throw himself into Coy and knock the other boy off balance. But it was as if Coy had been expecting it, and he swiveled, moving behind Ralph and slamming the butt of his gun into Ralph's head.

"RALPH!" Lenore screamed as he crumpled to the ground before her eyes.

With no remorse, Coy nodded towards the wheelchair. "Let's go."

"For a pacifist you really are a massive asshole." Lenore muttered as she sank into the chair.

He smiled coldly at her. "Unfortunately for you... I'm no pacifist."

Coy wheeled her out into the hall, and started for the elevator bay, when they saw one of the many police that had been hired to secure the floor and the hospital since she'd been brought in.

He leaned down, and whispered in her ear. "Say anything and-"

"You'll shoot me." Lenore commented. "Yes, I've seen the movies before. No need to spit in my ear on top of everything else."

She smiled at the cop as they passed him, and then they were in an elevator. She'd thought they'd be headed for an exit, but surprisingly Coy wheeled her onto a dimly lit floor. There didn't seem to be anyone around, and Lenore almost thought it was a deserted wing, but then she noticed the still bodies in the beds as they rolled passed. Machines beeped. Ventilators hissed. Lenore realized they were in the coma patient ward.

"Well, this just got creepier." She commented out loud.

"Shut up."

As the rolled by the nurses station, she spotted a woman in a back, glassed office. She could see the woman laugh, but couldn't hear the sound of it over the clear blare of Community. She wasn't going to be much help.

With purposeful steps, Coy took her to a room near the end of one of the long corridors. It was a single room, so there was one bed against the wall. At first Lenore didn't even look at the person in the bed. Her eyes made note of the picture of Coy and his mother set about the room. There were fresh flowers in vases, and cards that seemed too old to be left up.

Coy left her to walk over to the bed and look down reverently at the man who lay there. Finally Lenore looked at the person in the bed herself. He was old, definitely older than her parents, but he seemed to be well taken care of. Hair and nails trimmed. Face clean shaven. Lenore had the feeling Coy and his mother were responsible for that.

"Do you know who this is?"

"Santa Clause?" Lenore blinked.

Coy lurched at her, his hands landing on the hand rests of her chair, as he loomed over her. "Show some respect!"

She cringed inwardly, but didn't move a muscle. She cleared her throat. "I don't know who that is."

"He was a good man. One of the best. He and my mother were in love..."

Coy stood back from her, and walked over to the side of the bed. He reached out and touched the man's shoulder. "He should have been my father, not that weak man my mother ended up with. And he would have been... if your parents hadn't done this to him."

She didn't say anything, and Coy looked at her again, his gaze slightly crazed. "He should have been my father and he would have given me everything. Money. Power... And what should have belonged to me. Your precious Bass Industries."

Still she said nothing.

"Nothing to say? Nothing to say to the fact that we should have been cousins?"

She raised a brow at that one. "Ew?"

"What you don't see a resemblance?" He bit out. "You mean you've never heard of your father's uncle Jack, and what your parents did to him."

"People rarely can keep secrets from me. I know exactly what Jack Bass did to my parents."

"Ha." He snorted at her. "Seems I got you there. You didn't know my secret."

"Oh no, Coy. It's not that I couldn't have found out your secrets." Her voice spoke down to him. "It's that I just didn't care..."

His jaw tightened. "Why do you get everything? Why do you get everything that my mother has always told me should have been mine."

"Poor Coy. Messed up Mommy messed up your head." She mocked.

"Shut up!"

"So what's your plan, Coy? I know my parents stopped payment on the ransom when I was found." She leaned back in the chair. She knew her absence wouldn't go unnoticed, and that even if Ralph was still unconscious, someone would have been in to check on her by now. She figured she just had to keep him talking till they were found.

Coy had started pacing agitatedly as she spoke. "I'd have it all now. Everything I was supposed to have if she hadn't lost her nerve." He stopped and fixed her with a gaze full of hate. "If she hadn't learned about your heart condition."

"Ah." Lenore sighed. "So Mommy dearest was down with a kidnapping, but didn't quite have the stomach for murder?"

Coy didn't say anything but started pacing again.

"But I guess you do?"

"What makes you so special?" He bit out angrily at the girl he felt had everything he should have had if Jack had never been in a coma. If Jack had married his mother, like his mother had told him he'd wanted to do, and if Jack had been his father.

Lenore's brow quirked, and the corner of her mouth tilted up. "I'm Lenore Bass."

Coy lost his shit at that comment and charged towards her. Lenore's brain went into computer like focus, and she spun the chair at the last second, sending it into his knees. Coy tumbled to the floor, and Lenore tumbled after him. Adrenaline fired through her, and she slammed her elbow into his temple at the same time she brought her knee down hard on his wrist. The gun flew across the room, and she scrambled after it. Her outstretched fingers had just brushed the cold metal when she felt his hand clamp onto her ankle and yank her back. She kicked him in the face.

Freed, her hand closed on the gun and she spun around, aiming the weapon at his head. He paused, panting.

"You don't even know how to use it." He smirked confidently, getting ready to again charge at her.

With icy eyes she flicked the safety off and cocked the gun. "_I_ never said I was a pacifist..."

It wasn't long before police flooded into the room, restraining Coy, and dragging him from the room. A kind looking officer gently took the gun from Lenore's cramped hand, as she took deep breaths, trying not to lose it in front of all these strangers. Seconds later a disheveled Chuck ran into the room and it was as if he only started breathing again when he saw she was alright.

"Lenore Bass, you really will be the end of me."

With that she burst into tears, surprising herself but not her father. He knew his little girl. She'd been brave and strong through all of this, and now that she was really safe, she let herself have the release. He bent and scooped his daughter up in his arms, and stood up to carry her out of the room. Chuck's eyes landed on the man in the bed, and he paused. He'd seen that Jack had proper medical care, but other than that he hadn't thought much about the man in all these years. But it was just like his uncle to have a poisonous reach long after he was gone. Chuck made a note in his head to have his uncle transferred to the other side of the country.

"Daddy... I want to leave." Lenore whispered tiredly, her head against his shoulder.

Chuck nodded, and kissed her temple. Then he carried her away from the dangerous past, and onto her safe present.

TahDAH! I had a Dair epiphany. For some reason, I've never hated watching them the way many of my fellow CBers have. In fact, sometimes I will purposely watch DB scenes. Today I had a realization why. So not for one moment do I think Blair even remotely loved Dan. I think she was messed up after the near death of herself, Chuck and the actual loss of her baby. I think Dan became her security blanket. Dan on the other hand... I think was totally in love with Blair. They laid it out over a year, and it was in every look, word and action of his character. So... I think I watch them, because it's like Dan torture. hehe.

Again, many thanks to Ellen for her thoughts and little green edits. Oh, and her long line of "hahahahas" at my ending A/N.


	89. Chapter 89

Hello! A little thing to clear up. I felt bad for my Sarah/SarahHarry fan after reading her review, so here's a little explanation. I have a general idea of what I'm going to write towards in my head. Long ago this was only a CB fic. When I marathoned the story, I decided to then focus on the Bass kids of my story in order. It went Harry, Bart, and now we're finishing with Lenore. I'm sorry if it feels like I've dropped the ball with Harry and Sarah, it's just that I feel like I'd given him his turn and was now working on the others. I tried to work a B story of them having a baby. Another little reminder, a few chapters ago, I said this story had like, 6-8 chapters left. I wasn't lying to you. We are down to the last chapter or two. There will be two little epilogue flash forwards, and then, that's all she wrote. She meaning me. Meaning the cutest little fic writer ever. Yeah, I said it. Oh, and I just wanted to say, that I've always enjoyed writing this fic. Personally, to be honest, I'm not that negative of a person. I think happiness feels amazing. This fic has made me happy and brought some great people into my life. I won't let a few people steal that from me. Giant hugs to Liz, Theresa, Mary, Elizabeth and Ellen! Here we go...

"She cheated! She completely and totally cheated!" Violet huffed, her face going splotchy, and she hit her blanketed lap for greater emphasis.

Bart raised a brow at his wife from where he stood at her bedside, their newborn son cradled in his arms. He gently shifted his weight, back and forth, from one leg to the other, to rock the sleeping baby in his arms. While he loved it, he didn't really have a choice in holding him. The nurse had handed the baby to him an hour ago and Bart hadn't figured out how to safely put him down yet, and so he held him. He guessed he'd figure it out eventually, or just never put him down. After a delivery that even Violet couldn't say was difficult, they'd wheeled her back into her own private room. For the last few hours, since he'd been born, they'd cleared the room, wanting it to be just the three of them for this first little while.

"She had a cesarean! In Oedipus... they said that was like... not even birthing!" She continued to argue even though she couldn't remember much of the play she'd just quoted, and hoped Bart had never seen it. However... he was awfully close to his mother...

"Shhhh..." Bart whispered gently, with awe in his voice, as he perched beside Violet on her bed. "Just look at him."

He leaned forward so the baby was carefully sandwiched between his parents. Violet sighed as she looked down at the baby who already head a sweep of dark hair on his head and eyes that were nearly black. She gasped.

"He's looking at me." She whispered, her voice taking on the same awe as her husband's. She felt Bart nod and then kiss her forehead. Violet couldn't stop looking at him. "He's perfect."

_Across the hall..._

"Are you going to ease up the gloating grin before you see her?" Harry smirked as he lay beside his wife in her large hospital bed, their new baby lay across his chest, and Sarah's head rolled on the pillow to look at him with a smile and a glint in her eye.

"Maybe... Probably not!" Sarah laughed, then gasped sharply in pain and tried to curl in on herself

"Take it easy!" Her husband urged, and was ready to yell for a doctor if she needed it. "Your insides were on the outside not to long ago!"

"You don't need to remind me." Sarah said grimacing. "I have the stitches to prove it."

"I love you?" He offered.

"Nice try. I haven't forgotten that you did this to me." She teased. Her labour had started off pretty well, and she'd been convinced she might not even need drugs... then the back-labour had kicked in full force and she's wanted to die... Or kill Harry. The drug had been amazing, and she'd loudly declared natural labour to be for suckers. Again, she'd thought after the pain had been taken care of, everything would speed along, but she hadn't dilated even close to what she needed to, and on top of that her baby didn't seem to have any interest in coming out. When Sarah's blood pressure had dropped, Harry had tried to bribe the doctor to just drug Sarah up more and take the baby out. He wanted them both to be safe and on the other side of this. But Sarah had held out, still wanting to deliver vaginally. It had only been when their baby's heart rate had dropped that Sarah had quickly requested the cesarean. She remembered being spread out on the table, with Harry by her side, but she could only see those Bass eyes of his above the mask and gear they'd had him put on. She'd held her breath until she heard the first perfect, loud cry of their angry, displaced newborn.

"Look on the bright side?"

Sarah smiled as she looked up at her husband holding their daughter. "You're right. We have a beautiful, perfect baby girl."

He smiled back, and then his smile grew. "Yes... and you won."

Sarah's smile grew as well. "I did." She raised a brow at him. "You know she probably thinks I cheated, right?"

"Oh, most definitely."

_A few floors away..._

"I'm sick." Lenore pouted as she snuggled back under the silk and cashmere of her bedding. She may be in a hospital, but she was still a Bass. "My heart hurts."

"You got the all clear from your doctors, and the only reason you're staying in the hospital, and not coming home tonight, is because your father insisted on one more night of observation." Blair said clearly. "You are going to go and meet your niece and nephew now."

"But that whole floor smells like babies... And the deaths of the peaceful, quiet lives of their parents as they know it." Lenore shuddered with revulsion.

"Tell me about it." Blair sighed with a raised brow at her, arguably, biggest handful. "One day, I hope you have a daughter just like you."

"I nearly died and you say things that are so mean to me..."

"Up!" Blair snapped and ripped the covers off her mini-manipulator.

A half hour later all the Basses gathered in Sarah's hospital room, since she was still restricted to bed. Chuck sat in a large chair, with Blair perched on the armrest, and his hand rested on her knee. Blair's hand was on his shoulder, and she traced a pattern there without being conscious of what she was doing. Blair looked down at her husband, and smiled at the light in his eyes as he looked at their family. Blair smiled wider and leaned down to kiss his cheek. Chuck glanced up at her, and it was like a beam of pure joy hit her, and she had to blink rapidly to keep the happy tears from rolling down her face.

The two pairs of new parents were oblivious to nearly everything but their babies. It was Lenore loudly clearing her throat that dragged their eyes from the small bundles.

"While, traditionally, it should be the first born grandchild that should be presented to the grandparents and the name announced first..." Sarah said with a smile on her face, that only her husband knew for sure was a crowing dig at Violet. "We thought, since they're only a few hours apart, that we'd present them together."

Lenore didn't miss the way Violet jabbed Bart in the ribs to try to get him over to Chuck and Blair with their baby first. Harry however was closer, and cast a smirk over his shoulder at Violet, before smiling sincerely at his mother. He carefully placed his daughter into Blair's waiting arms.

"Mother, this is Blair Madelyn Bass." Harry said clearly.

Bart was only seconds behind, as he showed off having learned how to pass his son over, to his father. "Dad, this is Charles Harold Bass."

Violet and Sarah's hormones were going crazy, and both of them burst into tears at the sight of Chuck and Blair holding their little names sakes, and the back breaking hug the two brothers were giving each other. Lenore watched them all, a little incredulously, from her plush, cushioned wheelchair.

"Ugh." Lenore grunted. "Naming your kids after you parents? That's so cliched."

Chuck and Blair looked over at her.

"Yeah, I know." Their daughter, who held both of her grandmothers' names as her own, said with her chin lilting up. "I said what I said, and I'd say it again."

_A few hours later..._

"Mother, I'm fine!" Lenore snapped as she slapped at her mother's hands that were again trying to fluff the pillow under her head.

"I know, my darling." Blair said with the determination of a battlefield nurse as she grabbed the covers and pulled them up higher on her daughter's chest. "But I also just wanted to make sure that you were okay with your brothers' using your father and my names. I wasn't sure if might have wanted-"

"Please." Lenore rolled her eyes. "If I named a baby after anyone in this family, it would be Blue. He's more loyal."

Blair raised a brow at her daughter's pointed dig, but Lenore spoke before she did. "I heard what you said!"

Blair smiled, knowing that Lenore had heard her whisper to little Bee that she was just the prettiest little thing. Blair sat down beside Lenore, and smoothed her long dark brown hair from her brow. "You are by far the most perfect and beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"And I'm your favourite?" Lenore looked up at her mother through her lashes as she pushed her luck.

Blair smiled, her cheek dimpling. "Since you've had such a rough few days... and I know you don't have any recording devices on you... Yes, Lenore, you're my favourite."

"I knew it." Lenore smirked as she settled back into the pillows.

A few hours later Lenore lay alone in her hospital room. She stared up at the ceiling, telling herself that drop ceilings were a crime against nature and tasteful decor. She should be thinking about her new niece and nephew and how to ensure that their births didn't effect her cut of her parent's fortune. She should be thinking about what exactly she was going to say about Coy and his family that would put them away till his name made any kind of sense. She should be thinking about sleeping. But she couldn't. There was only one thing on her mind.

Lenore slipped into the room, quietly pushed the door shut, then leaned against the fake wood of it and took a deep breath. She'd told the security guard that was stationed at her door that she was going to see her friend. He looked like he was about to argue, so Lenore just shot him her coldest, most entitled glare, and the 6'5, 290lbs former Marine sat back down in his chair, and didn't look at her as she quietly walked away down the hall.

There was one bedside lamp on in the room, and while the hospital room was a private one, it was not as nice as hers. She'd known Ralph would be sleeping, but she'd still had to see him. Now they were in the same room, and just looking at him wasn't enough. She padded over to the bed in the slippers her mother had brought her from home. He lay on his side, and she lifted the covers and slowly tucked herself in against him, so they were facing each other. His face was only inches from hers, and she gave in to her urge to stare at him. Ralph had the most beautiful skin of anyone she had ever known. It was smooth and warm and looked like it nearly glowed in the soft light, and looked pore-less even this closeup. Lenore felt like she didn't have a choice, she had to touch that skin. She had to touch him.

Raising her hand, she let her fingers slip of his skin until her palm rested against his cheek. He was so warm, so real, she had to get closer to him, and she shifted that half inch that brought her flush against him.

It was as if a jolt went through Ralph's body, and his eyes flew open. Despite his reaction, he didn't look surprised to see her, as if she were the only one that could draw that reaction from him, so of course he wasn't surprised to see her there.

For long minutes they just looked into each other's eyes. It was as if they were all that existed in this moment.

"Lillian Eleanor." He whispered only for her.

She swallowed at the sound of her name on his lips. Not Lenore. Lillian Eleanor. She's missed it. She'd missed him.

Tentatively Lenore leaned towards him. Ralph met her half way.

They kissed, and again it was like lightening shot through them, and they just wanted to get closer. In their history, since puberty had hit, touching had almost always been cautiously and limitedly done, as if they had known that once they really gave into it, they wouldn't be able to stop. That they wouldn't want to stop.

Now, deep into the night, in a hospital bed, they gave in.

A while later, she lay against Ralph's side, his arm wrapped around her, his bare skin against hers. It felt like one of the most right things in the world. So she got the hell out of there.

She'd just gotten off the elevator when she was confronted by her parents.

"Just what do you think you're doing firing your body guard and walking out of the hospital without a doctor's permission or without calling us?! Who do you think you are?!" Blair raised a stern finger in the air, and her voice dropped. "And if you say 'I'm Lenore Bass' I'll slap your father, because I know where you got that from!" Blair went a touch Blair-a-noid. Chuck took a step away to be out of striking distance.

Blair's arms folded over her chest, one brow raised, and she was ready for a fight. What she wasn't prepared for was Lenore's lip to start quivering and for her to launch herself into her mother's startled arms. Blair's arms quickly wrapped around Lenore, and she held her tightly, but shot a glance over her daughter's shoulder at her husband.

Chuck had a scowl on his face that confused Blair, in fact she was baffled by both her present family.

"I just want to go to my room." Lenore said against her mother's hair.

After Lenore was tucked into bed, with Blue laying on her chest, Blair followed a fuming Chuck into their master bedroom.

"We are suing that hospital till there is nothing left but a used bedpan and a tongue depressor..." He seethed.

"Sounds like our last anniversary." Blair teased, but stopped when her husband froze her with a hard look. "What is wrong with you?" She looked at her husband like he'd lost his mind.

"Last night we left a virgin there. This morning, that is not what walked back into our home..."

"WHAT?!" Blair gasped, and then she played back the look on Lenore's face. "Oh, my."

"I need to sit down." She moved to the chaise and flopped down.

"I need a drink." He went to the small bar in their room and shot back a scotch.

"Do you think it wa-" She asked as they sat together.

"The boy that was also laid up in that hospital? Yes, I do." He looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. "Clearly I forgot a heart episode and a concussion are no deterrents to teenagers..."

"Well, you said you'd been preparing for Ralph..." Blair reminded him, beginning to smile at her blustering husband.

"Preparing for her to date Ralph for a few years, and then maybe he'd kiss her at prom... and then they'd go to different universities miles apart."

"Yeah, with our genetics, that was really going to happen." Blair derided him, but when she saw how befuddled he was, she lay back on the chaise and tugged him back until he was laying against her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he lay his head back. Their cheeks touched.

"What do we do now?"

"I'm going to go and talk to Lenore, and then we step back." Blair said softly.

"I was thinking more along the lines of having a black ops team grab him in the middle of the night and deposit him in a prison in a country with lax human rights laws..."

"Please." Blair rolled her eyes. "It's Lenore. We knew it would happen sooner or later... and you can't say we should be surprised it happened sooner rather than later. She is your daughter..."

Chuck smirked but didn't say anything. He relaxed against his wife, enjoying the way her fingers gently massaged him.

"After all these years, it still baffles me how you do that..." Blair mused and she kissed his temple.

"It's a gift."

_That night..._

Lenore stood at the window of her room, looking out over Manhattan. She held Blue in her arms, and absently scratched him behind his ears. She found his loud purring soothing. Chloe had wanted to come over, and eat cookies and watch 90s teen movies, but Lenore just didn't have the heart for it tonight. She loved looking at her city at night when the lights lit up every building. She could never imagine living anywhere else.

She wondered where Ralph was; which light was he under now? Speak of the devil and who shall appear...

"Raise your hand if you feel used?"

Lenore jumped about a foot at the sound of his voice. "Idiot! You don't startle someone with a heart condition!

"You're fine." Ralph said confidently. "In fact... you're practically glowing."

"Shut up." She bit out, and turned to carefully put Blue down on a chair.

"I'll amend my early question." Ralph spoke firmly as he walked into her room and came to stand in front of her. "Raise you hand if you know you've been used."

"Go away, Ralph." Lenore told him, ignoring his raise hand. She turned away from him, and sightlessly looked out the window.

"No." And he took a step that brought him flush against her back. He felt her catch her breath. "Lillian Eleanor, I don't want to do this dance anymore."

On reflex she swallowed hard and hoped he didn't notice. In that hospital room, after they'd had sex, she'd panicked and ran. Now he was here, and she knew exactly how she felt about him, and exactly what she wanted to tell him, but he was here to tell her they were over before they'd even really started.

His hands stroked over her shoulders, and he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "I love you."

"WHAT?!" She spun around and her palms slammed into his chest, catching him off guard and sending him stumbling back a step.

"Ouch." He rubbed his chest and looked at her wearily. "Both emotionally and physically, ouch."

"What is wrong with you?!"

"I fell in love with the meanest, most ornery girl on the planet?"

"THIS!" She screamed, and he picked up Blue in order to ward of any further physical attacks. "You've been telling me that I'm a brat since we met, and now you're claiming to love me?!"

He smiled, and she thought he'd lost his mind. "I have always loved you." He said with the serenity of someone that knows his love to be true. He also saw Lenore Bass' eyes fill with tears.

"Why?" She asked and her voice nearly broke on the word. In the last few days, the weight of her kidnapping had landed on her, and a part of her felt besieged by it. She knew how she felt about Ralph, and it was almost too much to hope for.

"Because you're you. You're smart, driven... and a million other things that anyone could read in your bio. But mostly... I find I love you for you."

She looked unconvinced, so he stepped closer to her and took her face in his hands. "Lillian Eleanor Bass... I love you because I want to, I love you because I need to, and I love you because I can't imagine what my life would be without." He spoke the words that had been running through his head for forever, but dwelling upon during the time she'd been taken.

Here amber eyes were huge by the time he finished talking, and her hands had come up to clutch the front of his jacket. She opened her mouth to speak-

"Echm."

Both Lenore and Ralph jumped at the sound of her father clearing his throat in the doorway. Chuck fixed Ralph with a hard glare as he tapped the door. "This stays open."

Ralph's jaw dropped, and Lenore gasped. "DADDY!"

Ralph resisted the urge to step behind Lenore as Chuck Bass continued to silently stare at him. Suddenly Blair appeared next to her husband and half dragged him away from the entry. She gave Ralph a little wave and smiled at Lenore, before pulling the door shut and leaving the teens alone again.

"Your parents know." Ralph visibly swallowed as he stated the obvious.

"My parents know everything." Lenore smirked. "Where do you think I get it from?"

"You know everything?" Ralph raised a brow at her.

"Sure." She smiled. "Like... I know that I love you so much it consumes me."

And with that she walked over to her bed and sat down. She tried to give off a flippant air, because despite his own beautiful declaration, she was still terrified, and didn't know what to do with it. But Ralph knew her, and knew what she needed. He came and crouched down in front of her, and took her small hands in his large, warm ones.

"Say it again." He urged gently.

Here dark lashes lifted off her pale cheeks as she looked into his loving eyes. "I love you."

His smile grew to that of the sun. "Lillian Eleanor loves me."

"She does." Her arms came around his shoulders, and pulled him tight. Ralph felt like the luckiest guy in the world. He was loved by the girl that he loved.

He was loved by a Bass... and Basses knew how to love.

TahDAH! Okay, so that was the last storied chapter of ITY. There will be a flashforward to show how they all play out, and there'll be a last chapter.

Again, as I'm ending... I just have so much gratitude for so many wonderful readers. Thanks again. There'll probably be more on this in my last ANs, but for now, I just send this out to you all with a hug.


	90. Chapter 90

Hello! Many apologies for the delay in the writing and posting of the final chapter! Firstly, life has been busy. I moved in with some close friends who have amazing children, and that, naturally, had me wanting to spend more time playing and hanging out than writing. This is the part where I hear her voice telling me not to blame her, her wife, and her children. Since she's not here... It's TOTALLY their fault you had to wait for this. I was also working full-time and my part-time school started up again. Now I've moved again, into the lovely apartment I hope to stay in quite a while. Busy, but I haven't loved CB or my ITY CB children any less. I think that's also it. I knew this was going to be the last chapter, and I think because I'll miss it... I have put off writing it. However, I feel like this story deserves the ending I always intended for it, so here I am! Many, many apologies for the delay! Hope you enjoy it! Hope you've enjoyed all of it. Here we go...

Chuck...

Chuck grasped the bar as he stepped out of the shower and onto the mat. He'd had the bars installed for Blair, but it turned out to be a fairly good idea for both of them. He grabbed a towel and haphazardly dried himself with it, used to the the creaks of his body, as he padded over to the sink. After wrapping the towel around his waist, he wiped the steam from the mirror, and looked at himself for a moment. His hair had long since gone gray, and had even moved into white a few years ago, with the exception of shoots of silver at his temples, shoots that his wife loved to run her fingers through.

The man in the mirror was not the boy he'd first seen staring back at him so many decades ago. The lonely boy, in the perfect suit, wasn't there anymore. He still had the perfect suit, but he could barely remember what lonely felt like. What he did remember kept him appreciative of what he had now, and what he had was a family that was more than he could have ever imagined dreaming of.

He had a wife he'd greatly loved with the totality of his being for almost his entire long life. And he knew in his bones that he was loved by her equally back. In a few years they will have been officially married for 60 years, they still fought over whether the first one counted, but they'd been in love longer than that. Chuck looked down at his left hand, opening and closing it a few times as he looked at the ring that never left his finger. Time had loosened the band on his finger, and Blair had suggested, several times, that she could take it to the jeweler and have it resized for his thinner hands, but he shook his head every time. He knew the feel of this ring like he knew her. It was a part of him. She was a part of him.

Together they had made three beautiful, intelligent, and unique children. Harry, Bart, and Lenore. Part Chuck. Part Blair. All themselves. Each were married now with children of their own, seven in total. Even three great-grandchildren ran around his feet upon their many visits.

And they were all here, here to celebrate his 80th birthday.

Chuck smiled thinking about the spread of food downstairs. Over sixty years ago, at a party like the one she was throwing tonight, there would be one tray of eclairs clearly marked for only him. Now? There were thirteen individual dishes cordoned off from the guests. Each Bass' favourite food was reserved for only him or her by the matriarch of the family.

Thinking of her, Chuck hurried to dress and go find her.

Sarah...

Sarah sighed happily as she sat in the back of the limo, watching the city go by. She'd grown up in Chicago, and had loved it there. Her childhood had been happy, and she would always love that city and all the memories it held. Wonderful memories of the brother that was long gone from her, but never forgotten. She glanced across the car at her son, who held her brother's name. When he felt her gaze, he quickly looked at her in askance, ready to offer anything she needed. She just smiled, letting him know she was fine, and the went back to looking out the window.

So, yes, Chicago had raised her, but as she looked out the window, Sarah knew that New York was her home. And so was the man who held her hand in his. She squeezed it now, and turned to look at Harry as he returned the grasp.

"How are you feeling?" Her husband asked for the millionth time, but she was more than used to it at this point. He'd been asking it for more than a year, since her diagnosis.

"Fine." She assured him, and she wasn't lying. She'd finished the treatments months ago, and was feeling the strength returning to her embattled body. Sarah's free hand jerked slightly as she resisted the urge to touch her new hair. Tonight it was styled in a chic pixie cut that highlighted the health blooming back into her cheeks.

"Maybe we should stay home." Harry said and he meant it. He looked at her now, and could see her body coming back from the cancer and the treatments, but he was still shaken. He wasn't ready to lose her.

"Not a chance." She smiled, glancing at her phone. They'd picked up Noah, his girl friend, and while Harry had wanted them all to ride together, Bee, her husband, and her two children had told them they'd arrive on their own. Harry didn't say anything, and Sarah didn't ask, but they both knew something was going on in the young marriage.

"My parents will understand."

"Sure... and I'd never hear the end of it from Violet."

Over the years Violet and Sarah's mostly good natured rivalry had become close friendship. They both knew they loved each other, they were family. Sarah had had no idea how close they actually were until she's been diagnosed with breast cancer last year.

Violet hadn't coddled Sarah. She hadn't pitied her. She's showed up at her house when Sarah had told everyone to stay away. She'd been at every doctor's appointment, and had waited in the hall when they'd barred her from sitting in. She'd gotten Harry, Sarah and both their children, Bee and Noah into therapy.

On a particularly rough day, Sarah had bit out that if Violet really wanted to support her, she'd shave her head in solidarity. Near purple eyes had narrowed, and she'd stomped out of Harry and Sarah's penthouse. Two hours later Violet had marched back in with her husband, three sons, and baby grandson trailing in behind her. All five of them had freshly shaved heads.

"There!" Violet had waved her hand over her family. "That will have to do! So suck it."

Harry had nearly choked on a bite of apple when he saw his brother's skull. He looked over at his wife. "She must really love you, because she's going to be tortured over their hair for months."

"Bart has gorgeous hair." Violet snapped, and then corrected. "Had gorgeous hair... but it will grow back, and so will yours. Now let's go shopping."

Sarah had smiled. It was the best she'd felt in forever. Then she'd gone and thrown up.

But now. There was a full family gathering, and she was going to be there for it.

Bart...

"Now?"

"No."

"How about now?'

"No."

"What about now?"

"I'm going to kill you, seal your body up in a wall, and then tell everyone you're off at boarding school." Violet muttered as she carefully checked her makeup in a hand mirror. Out of joking malice Violet and Bart had named their only daughter after his only sister, knowing how much Lenore had been against the idea. It had well and truly bitten Violet on the ass though, because the girl bore more than a small likeness to her namesake.

Nor smirked at her. "Yeah, right. And one day, when you're eighty, I'll lock you up in a Home... with bad lighting."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Violet teased with a smile, both she and her youngest child knowing she loved her completely.

"You're just lucky I guess." She smiled.

Just then Violet caught sight of Bart walking into living room popping M&Ms into his mouth, and a glass of coke in his other hand. She smiled warmly, her eyes lighting up. "You're right on that one."

While Violet and Bart had started out as business partners in Waldorf Designs, Bart had quickly grown bored of the job. What he had loved was being a father. As they'd had their four children, Charles, Harold, Jacob, and Lenore, he'd taken long stretches of time to be with them more than naught. As the children grew, he began to return to what many considered his only passion outside of his family. Food. Bart began opening restaurants around the world, many in Bass hotels. All of which quickly became wild successes... much to his siblings surprise given what they'd seen him eat.

"Dad's here. Can we go to the party _now_?"

Blair...

Three months ago Blair had turned her ankle stepping off a curb. She's spent two days in the hospital, been put on a regimented physiotherapy routine, and was also resigned to the use of a cane, most likely on a permanent basis. The hospital she'd hated. The physio was literally a pain, and the cane, while she now owned several stylish varieties, she found to often cramp her style, but there was something she deemed far worse.

She'd come home to find that Chuck had gotten rid of every last one of her high heels.

"Some of those were vintage!" She screamed. He hadn't cared. What he did care about, more than anything else, was her, and her health.

Being the stubborn pain in the ass that he was, it hadn't ended there. When she'd tried to buy more, she'd found that no store of her class would sell anything but a flat to her. When she took to the internet she found out that he'd bought every reputable shoe site, thus blocking her there.

She'd been ready to wage a war the likes of which would have rocked Manhattan, but then the Basstard had used The Look. It was the one that melted her. The one that spoke of his love and his worry. Of not wanting a stupid shoe to be what took her from him. The look that made her want to soothe him. So she acquiesced.

Until tonight.

She'd been waiting in one of her guest bedrooms for fifteen minutes when she finally heard the knock she'd been on edge for. Two raps. Three raps. Two raps. As quickly as she could Blair opened the door a crack to peer out suspiciously. She smiled when she saw her daughter standing there and waved her in quickly. Lenore frowned at her mother as she watched Blair close the door and snap the lock.

"I don't like this." Lenore scowled, clutching a shoe box to her chest. "You shouldn't keep secrets from Daddy."

"You're right. He should know everything. Let's go tell him about South Carolina, shall we?" Blair called Lenore out.

Lenore's jaw dropped. "You promised!"

"I did." Blair nodded and held out her hand. "And so did you. Hand them over."

Giving in her daughter passed over the shoe box, and Blair snatched it, taking it to a chair and sitting to open it. She sighed in utter content when she lifted the lid and saw the gorgeous pair of pumps inside. She reverently lifted one from the tissue paper and held it up to her eye. Tonight was a special occasion, and she'd be dammed if she was going to attend the night with her heels level with her toes.

"Perfect." She sighed happily, already slipping off her flats.

"Will it be perfect when Daddy sees you?"

"I am a grown woman-"

"I'll say."

Blair ignored the tease at her age. "And as such, I alone will decide what I wear."

Lenore rolled her eyes. "Fine, but just make sure he doesn't know where you got them. The Wives have been itching to get at my share of the inheritance for years."

Blair stood up in her heels and smiled at her reflection. Then she took a step and wobbled, but her daughter was quickly there to steady her.

"Mommy..." Lenore whispered the name she only used when she was scared.

Blair held her daughter's shoulder and smiled at her. She lifted her hand and let one bent knuckle tap Lenore under her chin, just the way her mother used to do to her. "I'll be fine. I'll use my cane. And it's just one night."

Lenore didn't look fully convinced, even after Blair gently kissed her cheek. "You have to admit... they really do look better with my dress."

Lenore grunted in the way her father often did when he didn't agree, but was giving in. She handed her mother her cane and then made for the door.

"Where are you going?" Blair asked rather sharply.

"I promised my baby we could throw coins in the fountain before dinner. Ralph is meeting us there." Lenore looked pointedly at her mother. "Besides, I'd rather neither of us be here when Daddy catches a look at your feet."

"Chicken." Blair tossed.

"Buck. Buck." Lenore laughed as she left the room.

Chuck...

Chuck was walking through the penthouse, still on the hunt for Blair, when he passed his open home office door. The back of his chair was facing the door, so he couldn't see who was sitting in it, only that it was swinging slightly from side to side.

He cleared his throat and the chair spun around to face him, allowing him to see the person who dared to sit in Chuck Bass' seat.

"Gus." Chuck smiled at his youngest grandchild.

"Hi, Grandpa." The four year old smiled back at him as he rested his hands on his grandfather's desk, looking to all the world as if he was born to sit there.

"I believe you're in my seat."

A huge grin broke out on Gus' face. "For now." He said cockily. Chuck smiled widely back, remembering how Gus' mother had told him something very similar when she was his age.

"Me first." A voice corrected from behind him.

"Mommy!" Gus bellowed and jumped out of the chair, sending it spinning into the wall as he ran to his mother.

Chuck smiled as he watched Lenore stoop to lift her boy up, and then stand with him hugged tight in her arms. Ralph and Lenore had waited to have children, with her love of real estate and his degree in architecture, they'd spent years traveling around planning and building the Bass Empire all over the world. The couple hadn't started trying to have a baby until they were well into their 30s, and both had thought it would be easy. It wasn't. It had taken years of trying, planning, and medical procedures, until at 40, Lenore had given birth to a perfect baby boy.

She kissed Gus' cheek now, and rubbed his hair where it was shaved close to his head, just like his father's, and then both mother and son turned to look at him. Gus' strongest resemblance to Lenore came in the form of her hazel eyes, while the rest of his looks took after Ralph. Those Bass eyes looked at him now, and Chuck smiled seeing them in his daughter and grandson.

Lenore moved towards her father, and hugged him with her free arm. Chuck felt small arms grab hold too, as Gus got in on the hug.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy."

"Yeah." Gus echoed. "Happy Birthday... can I have cake now? And Grandpa's chair?"

Lenore stepped away from her father and pretended to drop her son. He squealed with laughter. "Nice try, baby, but not yet. We're going down to meet Daddy and then come back for the party."

"And for the cake."

"That too." She promised as she hugged her dad one more time. "We'll see you in a bit, Dad."

Chuck nodded, but then thought to call out. "Have you seen your mother? She makes so much less noise now that she's always in flats."

Lenore looked over her shoulder at her father. "In that case... You should find her in no time..."

He didn't have to wait long for that cryptic comment to make sense. He realized what she meant when he walked into the master bedroom, just as Blair came out of her closet. Her ever so brief hesitation was her tell.

"Get them off."

"Don't be silly, Chuck!" Blair began in the teasing voice she used to try to get around him. "I'm all dressed and our guest will be arriving any minute."

"Off. Now."

Blair turned around, offering him her back. "Can you get my zipper for me?" She said breathlessly, knowing, even after all these decades, her nape was still his kryptonite.

She rested both her hands on the pummel of her cane, and waited. She didn't have to wait long. She felt his hands slide up her arms to caress her shoulders. Shivers ran down her back as his fingers touched her bare skin. She felt his breath on her neck, and she held hers. He slid the zip up, placing a kiss just about it when it had reached its end. When Blair was about to turn around he caught her hips and pushed her back onto the bed behind them.

"Chuck! I'll wrinkle!" Blair gasped as she half heartedly tried to slap him away. Then she realized wrinkling her dress in the way she had hoped wasn't on his agenda... at the moment. He made for her feet. She kicked him. He grabbed her ankle. She pulled his hair. After several seconds, neither one of them was conceding.

"Stop it! You're going to give yourself a stroke!" Blair snapped as she slammed a pillow into the side of his head.

Chuck stopped to smirk down at her, his silver hair sexily mussed. "I could, but you know how much more enjoyable I find it when you do it for me..."

Blair's eyes warmed, and her chin dropped to smile seductively back at him. It was in her moment of distraction that he seized the opportunity. He had her shoes off in seconds and was up and moving across the room. Blair pushed herself up to sitting, but before she could put together what he planned to do, it was already done. Chuck had thrown her beautiful heels out the window.

"You controlling ass." She scowled.

"I love you." Was his only response.

"You're lucky it's your birthday, and that I'm in a forgiving mood."

"I love when you're in a giving mood..." Chuck husked as he looked her up and down.

Many pleasurable minutes later, Chuck held Blair's elbow as they made their way down the stairs to their foyer. They reached the bottom just as the elevator chimed and their first guest walked out.

"Funny question... but do these belong to you?" Nate asked as he held up a pair of very broken looking pumps.

"They couldn't possibly be!" His wife laughed, but looked knowingly at her best friend. "Blair doesn't wear high heels anymore, right B?"

"Shut up. All of you."

Happy hugs were exchanged between the two couples. Four people who had been friends longer than anyone cared to remember.

Twenty years ago Blair had dragged the two along on a couple's cruise on the Bass yacht around the Mediterranean. Well... it hadn't started out as a couple's cruise, but that's what it had been by the end. Nate and Serena had married in a centuries old chapel in Croatia, surrounded by all their friends, Chloe, and Nate's various children. Nate had loudly announced at the reception that Serena had been worth waiting for. Chuck had quietly commented to Blair that given the amount of children Nate had, he wasn't sure his best friend knew the definition of waiting. Blair had slapped his shoulder, and said none of that mattered, because everything was the way it was supposed to be now. Chuck had caught her hand, kissing her fingers and telling her she was right.

Bass Siblings...

Lenore stood at the fountain in her parents' lobby, one hand tightly fisted in her son's jacket as he leaned over to toss coins into the water. After watching them land with plunks, he hopped down and started racing around the fountain. Lenore was watching when a pair of hands slipped over her eyes from behind her.

"Guess who?" A poorly disguised voice said from behind her.

"Bart." She guessed.

The hands over her eyes moved and she turned to see her quizzical brother.

"Your hands smell like M&Ms. It was not a hard guess." Lenore taunted.

She caught a hint of a smirk on his face... about a second before she felt arms wrap around her tightly from behind, hugging her so that her feet lifted off the ground and he swung her from side to side.

"Harry! Put me down!" Lenore demanded in an angry voice that only her family knew wasn't serious.

She was sure this torture was about to end. Then Bart started hugging her too. God, her brothers were jackasses, she thought to herself, but couldn't fully hide the smile that curved her lips. Six years ago, after another heart wrenchingly unsuccessful procedure, Lenore had sent Ralph to work, and then gone to her parents' house. She knew they weren't home, and she wasn't even sure she was disappointed by that. She walked up the stairs to her room, which her parents had kept the same for her, and crawled into her bed. Lenore lay still for a long time, until the sun moved and sent light pulsing into her eyes. She pulled the covers up over her head and wished Blue was there. Oddly it was the thought of her long dead cat that pushed her over the edge. And she curled into a ball to sob.

It was then that her brothers came in, probably having been alerted to her presence by the doorman, and crawled on into bed with her. For once, they didn't tease or joke, they just held her, their little sister who was always so strong, but who was so sad now.

Lenore's seemingly endless confidence had a source. It was the love of her family, and it was here for her now when her confidence was so shaken.

She knew she wouldn't have gotten through that time without them. And a year later, when she carried Augustus to term, she knew there was no one happier for her than her brothers and parents... even when she told them all that she'd built up Bass Industries and Gus was the rightful heir, so send their kids to good schools, because they were going to have to work for a living.

Now, the four year old heir to the CEO looked at them narrowed eyes, a second before he splashed them with water from the fountain. The brothers each raised a brow at their youngest nephew.

"My mommy only hugs me." Gus told them smugly.

"I don't know... given what Dad apparently walked in on when Lenore was 16... I'm thinking she hugs your dad too."

Lenore's hand slapped sharply on the back of her oldest brother's head.

"They're talking dirty in front of Gus again?"

Lenore spun around with a smile already on her face. Damn, she loved her husband. "It's ridiculous how much they behave like they're 14."

"I object." Harry broke in as he threw an arm over Bart's shoulder. "We're at least 16."

"We'll see you up there." Harry commented as he turned and walked towards the elevators, knowing instinctively that his little brother would follow him. Even though they were both in their 50s, somethings never changed. Harry and Bart were brothers, and best friends.

They stepped into the elevator, Harry stood straight, his feet slightly parted and turned out, while Bart slouched against the wall. The doors were closing as Harry asked. "So, what'd you get him?"

Bart sent a look at his brother that said that Harry knew exactly what he'd given their father for his birthday.

"Really? A framed picture of your kids at Niagara Falls again?"

Bart just shrugged.

"Please tell me they were at least not in matching sweaters this time?"

Bart smirked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I can't believe they didn't let me get rid of you at birth."

"You know you love me." Bart said with a straight face.

As Chuck's birthday party was raging on, and his family and closest friends celebrated, he thought of that night in Croatia, and quietly slipped away and into his office.

Blair sat in a chair, one of her great-granddaughters falling asleep in her arms, when her head came up to scan the room. She saw Lenore and Ralph check on Gus, who was working his dimples on Serena and Nate in order to get a steady stream of candy, before not so subtly making a run for the stair. If Blair had to guess they were headed for Lenore's room. Well, at least now they were in their 40s and Blair didn't have to worry about Chuck heading up to their teenage daughter's room to check on them. Blair then spotted Harry and Bart standing by the fireplace, and she smiled. The brothers were still as close as ever, maybe even more so. Harry had leaned on his brother a lot during Sarah's illness, and Bart wouldn't have had it any other way.

Blair saw everyone, all her family, except for the centre of her world. Her Chuck. Signaling to Noah to take his niece, she got up with a little help from Bee, and then headed in search of her husband.

She found him on her first guess.

"The guest of honour should never be the first to leave his party..." Blair teasingly scolded as she walked into Chuck's office and shut the door behind her.

Chuck sat on the couch and he wordlessly held his hand out to her. When she was next to him, she set her cane aside, took his hand and settled in beside him. She curled into his body, and his arms came around to hold her tightly. She sighed with contentment as she felt his thumb trace circles on her arm.

"Sometimes... I can't believe how many of them there are..."

"Guests? I kept it small, like you wanted." Blair reminded him. "There's just family."

"That's what I mean..." He swallowed. "Sometimes I can't believe that I have these children... these grandchildren..." He looked down into her warm, dark eyes. "And sometimes, even after all these years, I can't believe I've gotten to live my whole life with you, Waldorf."

Blair's eyes filled with tears and her lip trembled. "I can. I can believe it, because you have made me happy my whole life... even when I wanted to kill you. I was happy because I knew, in my bones, that I loved you so much it consumed me... so much it completed a part of me I didn't know was missing."

He kissed her. Hard and with passion. Only pulling away to catch his breath, and even then he pressed his forehead into hers, breathing the same air.

"Grandma!? Grandpa?! Everybody thinks you're 'doin' it' in there... what's 'doin' it'?

"I'm disowning them all..." Chuck muttered under his breath.

Blair laughed and kissed him again. Then on impulse and with need, she caught his face between her hands and looked deeply into his eyes.

"I love you, Chuck Bass." She said for the millionth time, and with overwhelming feeling.

Chuck didn't smile, he felt too much to smile at the moment. "I love you, Blair Waldorf."

Epilogue

Eleven years later...

Chuck's eyes could barely stay open, and he realized he didn't want them to. He knew his children sat at his bedside. He'd heard them decide that they'd take turns, but in the end none of them could bear to leave him for more than a few moments this close to the end.

He felt them. He felt loved. He wasn't afraid. He was at peace. He shut his eyes.

It felt like mere seconds later that he felt consciousness surge within him, along with a physical strength he hadn't felt in years. Without opening his eyes he knew he was in his bed. In their bed. He hadn't slept in it once since the night Blair had no longer been there to share the bed with him. That had been five weeks ago, but now... something had him rolling and reaching for her.

A part of him tried to tell him he would feel nothing but empty sheet, and his heart hurt already. But then... his hand skimmed along her arm, he felt the surge of electricity he only felt when touching her. He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around to hold her tight. To mold her to him. To feel every inch. Every breath. Every heartbeat.

He opened his eyes.

She was really there. It was Blair. His Blair. And she was smiling at him. She was beautiful. Well, she'd always been beautiful, but now she was like every moment of her life wrapped up into one. Chuck didn't know how it was possible, but he saw her as she'd look at five years old on the playground, pushing Serena off the swing. He saw her on their wedding day. He saw her heavy with his child. He saw her as the mother of his children. His wife. His lover. His soulmate. He saw her as everything, and he could see in her eyes that she saw in him the same thing.

Joy ripped through him.

"I've missed you." He managed to utter, still overwhelmed at having her in his arms again.

"I've been waiting for you." She whispered.

"I love you. We'll never be apart again."

She nodded because it was true. She kissed him. He kissed her. They loved and were loved. It was forever. It was eternal.

They were Blair and Chuck. Chuck and Blair.

Always.

The End.

TahDAH! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! So with this last ITY Author's Note I just really wanted to thank you all. Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviewing. Thank you for enjoying.

A special thank you to Ellen, Mary, Elizabeth, Liz, Marina, Maryam, and Maria (but only if she updates SOL and TUF faster) Again, thank you to all of you. You really have made this a wonderful experience.

And I just realized that I wanted to thank the creators of Gossip Girl. Thank you to Chuck and Blair for being so inspirational. Love CB! CHUCK AND BLAIR, OTP FOREVER! Woohooo!


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